Lorin Theatre

The Wigwam Theatre, named after the building name, operated as early as 1927 and closed on December 18, 1931 because of attendance issues. The Wigwam Theatre did present performing arts into 1932 and portions of 1933 but remained closed as a movie house at the time.

It reopened back as a movie theatre under the name Beacon Theatre on October 11, 1933, and was renamed the Lorin Theatre in July 1937. The management led by C.A. Buckmaster named the theater Lorin after the Scottish dialect meaning “lake”. The decision to rechristen the theatre was made because of the Columbia River is in the middle of becoming a locked stream and the theatre is the first institution in town to take advantage on the latest condition as the result of the Bonneville Dam.

The Lorin Theatre did receive a brief two-week closure in January 1938. It was still open in 1950, but its closing date remains unconfirmed at this time.

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