{"nrhp_refnum":"79002186","name":"Rowland Theater","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"Front St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Philipsburg","county":"Centre County","state":"PA","lat":40.89662591000007,"lon":-78.22364755699994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1979-10-18","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Entertainment/Recreation","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"The Rowland Theatre is a three-story brick and ferro-concrete theatre building on Front Street in downtown Philipsburg, Centre County, Pennsylvania. It was constructed in 1917.","why_significant":"The nomination argues that the building is significant as the largest and most ornate historic theatre in the Centre and Clearfield County region, and for its concrete construction and lavish interior decoration. Its murals, classically inspired interior, and technical features are cited as evidence of the theatre as a public necessity of its period. The architect Julian Millard and construction engineer W.A. Hoyt are named as its designers.","narrative":"Built in 1917 on Front Street in downtown Philipsburg, the Rowland Theatre is a brick and ferro-concrete building that rises three stories and measures sixty-six by two hundred twenty-two feet in plan. Local soft coal magnate and U.S. Congressman Charles Hedding Rowland commissioned it on the site of the earlier Pierce Opera House, which burned in 1910. Architect Julian Millard of Altoona designed it, and W.A. Hoyt, a noted concrete engineer, supervised construction. The auditorium originally seated six hundred twelve on the main floor and five hundred twenty-nine in the balcony. Its interior features a vaulted concrete-truss ceiling, marble wainscoting, stained glass, and murals by M.A. Lofgren. Early designs included steel doors and fire-resistant wire glass. The building is regarded as the largest and most ornate historic theatre in the region, and its use has declined in recent years.","period_of_significance":"1917","architect_builder":"Julian Millard (architect); W.A. Hoyt (construction engineer)","architectural_style":"Classically inspired, with Art Deco additions","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"The theatre has been used predominantly as a movie house in recent years, and the document describes its use as having dwindled; a new owner planned rehabilitation.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-haiku-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.1-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 17:11:30.215939-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_PA/79002186.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/79002186/868ef1b381-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/79002186/868ef1b381-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Pubdog at en.wikipedia","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rowland_Theater_Jun_09.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Pubdog at en.wikipedia</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rowland_Theater_Jun_09.JPG"},"district":{"nrhp_refnum":"99000881","name":"Philipsburg Historic District","url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/districts/pennsylvania/philipsburg-historic-district-99000881/"},"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71997570","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowland_Theater","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7372195"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/pennsylvania/centre-county/rowland-theater-79002186/"}