Chautauqua Tabernacle Theatre

Claudine Burnett, Long, Beach historian and formerly of the Long Beach Public Library, notes Long Beach’s enthusiastic involvement with movies began at the turn of the century. In Burnett’s writings, “Long Beach Motion Picture Industry: 1911-1923,” she explains that the first motion picture was shown, June 22, 1900, in the old Tabernacle, at the northeast corner of Third Street and Locust Avenue. It was an Edison picture with a combat, along with marine scenes.

The Tabernacle was an historical building, erected in the 1880’s by the Chautauqua Assembly of Long Beach. In 1900, the Tabernacle was the only assembly hall in Long Beach, a small town then with a population of 2,252 inhabitants. For a small town, the Tabernacle could serve and did serve many functions at the same time, theatre, lecture hall, and church. The Tabernacle was said to seat 1,700 and was demolished in 1915.

The location would be near today’s 3rd Street and The Promenade and a circa 1910 photograph can be seen on Calisphere.

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