{"nrhp_refnum":"08000420","name":"Pitts Theatre","other_names":["State Theatre (DHR No. 204-5053)"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"303-307 S. Main St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Culpeper","county":"Culpeper County","state":"VA","lat":38.473617441000044,"lon":-77.99608248999994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"2008-05-15","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A one-story-façade, three-story-tall Art Deco movie theatre with flanking storefronts at 303-307 South Main Street in Culpeper, Virginia, built 1937-1938 and designed by architect Nicholas Roney.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the building is a good example of an architect-designed Art Deco motion picture theatre and the only Art Deco building in the Town of Culpeper. It was part of the Pitts chain of theatres founded by Benjamin T. Pitts. It is listed under Criterion C for its architectural character and function.","narrative":"Built in 1937-1938 on South Main Street in Culpeper, this Art Deco movie house was designed by architect Nicholas Roney and built by contractor Keith Fletcher of Warrenton. Its symmetrical façade has stepped massing, a recessed vestibule, a marquee, and a vertical neon-banded sign reading \"STATE,\" with storefronts on either side. Inside, separate entrances and stairs led white patrons to the main auditorium and African American patrons to the balcony. Interior finishes include beaver board wall panels and linoleum floors. The theatre was part of the Pitts chain founded by Fredericksburg businessman and later state senator Benjamin T. Pitts, which grew to thirty-eight theatres. It operated under that chain until 1971, then as the State Theatre under another chain until closing in 1992. It was listed for its architecture, as the only Art Deco building in Culpeper and an example of a style once common among small-town movie theatres. A renovation has been proposed.","period_of_significance":"1937-1938","architect_builder":"Nicholas Roney-architect; Keith Fletcher-contractor","architectural_style":"Modern Movement: Art Deco","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"Closed as a theatre in 1992; current function listed as vacant/not in use, with a renovation proposed to return it to its original use.","vacant_flag":true,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:52:03.249168-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/97/6802/41680297/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_VA/08000420.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/08000420/2f9f0cacd1-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/08000420/2f9f0cacd1-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Cecouchman","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PittsTheatre_3907.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Cecouchman</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PittsTheatre_3907.jpg"},"district":{"nrhp_refnum":"87001809","name":"Culpeper Historic District","url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/districts/virginia/culpeper-historic-district-87001809/"},"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/41680297","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitts_Theatre","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14713068"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/virginia/culpeper-county/pitts-theatre-08000420/"}