Ohio Theatre
Also known as: St. Hedwig Coltural Center
Why it's listed
Completed in 1921, this neighborhood movie theater at 3114 Lagrange Street serves Toledo's Polish Village, historically known as Lagrinka. Stophlet and Stophlet designed the brick building in a commercial neoclassical style, with terra cotta details, copper lion masks, and an Italian Renaissance-inspired plaster auditorium. It was built on three parallelogram-shaped lots, giving the lobby and stage unusual triangular shapes. Originally seating 1,800, it now seats 967. A group of Polish-descended residents formed the amusement company that built it, and from 1921 to 1975 it was owned or managed by members of that community. It showed American and Polish silent films. The theater is considered an early example of the movie picture palace type, bridging vaudeville and film. Of more than sixty neighborhood theaters in Toledo's history, it is the only pre-1940 one built as a movie theater and still showing films.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is significant under Criterion A for its long association with Toledo's largest Polish community and for its role in the entertainment history of the North End from 1921 to 1955. It is significant under Criterion C as an early example of the movie picture palace building type, bridging vaudeville and motion pictures. It is described as the only pre-1940 neighborhood movie theater in Toledo still operating as a movie theater.
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 06000198, listed March 29, 2006. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3114 Lagrange St., Toledo |
|---|---|
| County | Lucas County |
| Listed | March 29, 2006 |
| Reference number | 06000198 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1921-1955 |
| Architect / builder | Architect: Stophlet and Stophlet; Contractor/Builder: Anthony Kocherowski, Lawrence V. Kubicki |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival/Neo-Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation, European |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still operating as a film and performing arts facility; the original marquee was destroyed by lightning in August 2004. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.67925, -83.54049 (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 06000198.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7080985
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.