Burt's Theater
Also known as: Country Palace
Why it's listed
Burt's Theater is a brick building at the corner of Jefferson and Ontario Streets in downtown Toledo, built in 1897-98 for about $75,000. Architect George S. Mills adapted its three-bay Jefferson facade from the Ca d'Oro, a Gothic palace in Venice. The upper two floors are yellow brick with terra cotta ornament, including a large recessed central window with lancet arches, tracery and Corinthian-capped columns. At the Ontario Street corner, turned terra cotta columns and a winged griffin that serves as a downspout mouth add to the detail. Frank Burt opened the theater on August 25, 1898, for vaudeville and melodrama, with seating for more than 1,500 people. It stopped operating as a playhouse in 1913 and later housed a produce company, an auto showroom, the Toledo Automobile Club and several nightclubs. Its Venetian Gothic design is unique in Ohio, and it is one of two surviving nineteenth-century theater buildings in Toledo.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that its Venetian Gothic design is unique in Ohio and Toledo, with a facade adapted from the Ca d'Oro in Venice. It is also one of only two remaining 1800s-era theater buildings in Toledo. It was likely the last building Mills personally drafted.
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 77001074, listed November 1, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 719--723 Jefferson St., Toledo |
|---|---|
| County | Lucas County |
| Listed | November 1, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001074 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1897-98 |
| Architect / builder | George S. Mills (architect) |
| Architectural style | Venetian Gothic |
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition. The rear portion was converted to a museum of Toledo memorabilia, and the owner planned to convert the whole building into a Toledo museum. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Toledo Central Business Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.65167, -83.53964 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 77001074.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138542498
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.