Pelham Picture House
Why it's listed
Pelham Picture House is a movie theater at 175 Wolf's Lane in the village of Pelham, Westchester County, New York. Built in 1921 by the Pelham Theater Corporation, it sits at the corner of Brookside Avenue and Wolf's Lane, with its stuccoed front facing the corner at an angle. A high central pavilion has a round-arched entrance beneath neon lettering, and the lower end bays have tiled hoods that give the building a Mission-style look. Inside, the auditorium keeps its exposed wood trusses, though the lobby has been remodeled. The theater is notable as a small-town example of early-20th century theater design in a commuter suburb, and for its role as a gathering place. It opened in September 1921, showed its first all-talking film in August 1929, and has operated almost continuously since. It remains a working cinema, and a nonprofit group now owns it with plans to restore it and host live performances.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an intact example of an early-20th century movie theater in a New York City commuter suburb, with eclectic Mission-style features and an unusual angled façade facing a street corner. It is also significant as a social and cultural resource for Pelham residents, having operated almost continuously as a movie theater since 1921.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 10000305, listed May 28, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 175 Wolf's Ln, Pelham |
|---|---|
| County | Westchester County |
| Listed | May 28, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000305 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1921-1960 |
| Architect / builder | unknown (built by the Pelham Theater Corporation) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Mission |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still an operating movie theater; acquired by a not-for-profit organization that aims to restore it and expand its uses to other performing arts events. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.90739, -73.81166 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 10000305.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7161362
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.