The Altria Theatre (c. 1920)
The Altria Theatre (2014)
Site Name: The Altria Theatre (formerly The Landmark and The Mosque)
Date of Construction: 1927
Reason for Construction: The Altria Theatre was created as a meeting place for the Shriners and as a center for entertainment.
Site History: The Mosque was originally the idea of Clinton L. Williams. By 1928 the Mosque had two competitors: The Byrd and the Carpenter. In 1932, the theatre was closed because of the Great Depression. The Shriners were hoping to save up to $14,000 on taxes at a time when every cent was precious. In 1940 they sold it to the city for $200,000. In 1950 the theatre’s lower floors were used as a Police Academy by the city. VCU also used the space for registration for a few years until 1984. Today, the Altria is ranked among the city’s most popular stages and has hosted many of the world’s greatest performers, ranging from concerts to magic acts to traveling Broadway shows.
Area History: The City of Richmond planned a system of parks in the Richmond area in 1851. One of these parks was Monroe park which now sits adjacent to the Altria Theatre. In 1850 the land served as the home for a State Fair organized by the Virginia State Agricultural Society. During the Civil War it was the site of an instructional camp for Confederate soldiers.
What about the site has changed? The theatre has changed names multiple times. It originated as The Mosque Theatre. The architects in charge of the project were Marcellus Wright, Sr., Charles M. Robinson and Charles Custer Robinson. It was originally budgeted at $1.65 million. The initial plans included a 4,600 seat theater, four lounges, six lobbies, 18 dressing rooms, 42 hotel rooms, a gymnasium, locker rooms, a pool, a three-lane bowling alley, offices and a restaurant called “The Mosque Grill”. In 1940 the City of Richmond bought the theatre from the Shriners and between 1994 and 1995, it underwent a major renovation that cost almost as much as the original building price ($1.5 million). Recently, since 2013, Altria gifted the theater with $10 million in renovations, so it only seemed right to name the theater after the Altria company. Now the theater is mostly used for plays, or the stage is used for bands/symphonies.
What about the surrounding area has changed? Much of Richmond and the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University has grown up around the theatre. The land next to it has been developed into a public park. There are now a lot of dorms in the area as well as galleries and art supply stores. Not to mention the thriving food scene. The student life has greatly impacted the area by bringing young creative people to the area.
Reflection: We learned that the Altria Theater was used for so many other things back when it was first built. We also learned how important it was to the people of Richmond, that they had petitions signed to keep it in Richmond. It was really interesting to find out all of this information about a richmond landmark that we sort of take for granted as a great place to see a show. It has such a rich history that is often overlooked. It’s also great since we both live relatively close to the Altria to get some context of the area we live in and how it has changed over the years.
Sources:
"Theatre History." Altria Theatre. Last modified 2013. Accessed March 21, 2014. http://www.altriatheater.com/about_us/theater-history.
Marker History, “Monroe Park Marker SA-67 Last Modified 2014. Accessed March, 24, 2014, http://www.markerhistory.com/monroe-park-marker-sa-67/
The Mosque. Richmond, VA: The Mosque Theatre, 1997.
by: Eileen Herring and Emma Ohlsson
