Warner Theater
Why it's listed
Warner Brothers opened this movie palace on High Street in West Chester on November 14, 1930, designed by the Chicago firm of C. W. and George Rapp, who specialized in opulent movie houses. The building combines a theater with a restaurant and a row of small stores under a steel frame faced in red brick and cast stone. Its auditorium seats a original capacity of 1650 across a main floor and balcony, and was billed as the Showplace of Chester County. The interior is decorated in blue, gold, red and silver, with plaster panels molded to resemble velvet drapery, a tray ceiling and Egyptian-inspired papyrus and lotus motifs. The theater is regarded as an exceptionally well preserved example of the Art Deco movie palace, with its design, decoration and surviving original systems central to its importance to the town and county.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a remarkably well preserved 1930 Art Deco movie palace whose interior is virtually unchanged apart from an enlarged stage. Its interior decoration, drawing on multiple decorative influences with an Egyptian character, is described as exceptional. It is also presented as a major civic and cultural landmark for West Chester and Chester County.
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 79002207, listed November 20, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 120 N. High St., West Chester |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | November 20, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002207 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1930 |
| Architect / builder | Rapp and Rapp for Warner Brothers |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Art, Architecture, Performing Arts |
| Level of significance | State |
| Within district | West Chester Downtown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.96035, -75.60613 (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 79002207.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7969764
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.