{"nrhp_refnum":"80004067","name":"Palace Theatre","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"12 E. 6th St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Cincinnati","county":"Hamilton County","state":"OH","lat":39.10257418300006,"lon":-84.51273551099996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1980-03-24","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Performing Arts"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A theatre and office building at 12 East Sixth Street in downtown Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio, built in 1918 and designed by Chicago theatre architect George Rapp.","why_significant":"The nomination calls it the last great theatre still standing in Cincinnati and the last legitimate theatre built there before films arrived. It cites the ornate plaster work, vaulted and domed ceilings with outstanding acoustics, and an efficient use of space as marks of early 20th century theatre design. It also notes its later role as a flagship RKO house.","narrative":"Opened in 1918 at 12 East Sixth Street in Cincinnati, this theatre and office building was designed by Chicago theatre architect George Rapp and built by the Ohio Construction Company for $500,000. Its five-story office front is faced in white glazed terra cotta with Neoclassic and Italianate details, while the interior combines Neoclassic and French Baroque decoration, heavy plaster relief, grand twin staircases and crystal chandeliers. Arched and vaulted ceilings and two large domes give the hall notable acoustics, and about 2,600 seats fit in a space without pillars blocking sight lines. Built for vaudeville under Keith interests, it passed to RKO in 1925 and became a flagship house for first-run films and live stars. It closed in 1976, was bought in 1978 and restored for live entertainment, reopening that October. The nomination describes it as the last great theatre left in the city. A note later in the file reports that it was demolished.","period_of_significance":"1918","architect_builder":"George Rapp (architect); Ohio Construction Company (builder)","architectural_style":"Neoclassic with French Baroque influence; Italianate motif on the facade","criteria":[],"status_note":"The form describes the building as completely restored and reopened in 1978 after closing in 1976. A later note in the file says the theatre has been demolished and should be removed from the Register.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:53:12.108762-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_OH/80004067.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/80004067/7dbe910d77-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/80004067/7dbe910d77-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Nyttend","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Center_at_600_Vine.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Nyttend</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Center_at_600_Vine.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71989257","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_Theatre_(Cincinnati,_Ohio)","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7126205"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/ohio/hamilton-county/palace-theatre-80004067/"}