Dalton Theatre Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1921 beside Peak Creek on Washington Avenue in Pulaski, this three-story brick building combined a vaudeville and movie theatre with street-level shops and upper-floor offices and apartments. James C. Lombard & Company of Washington, D.C. designed it for Dalton Brothers and Richardson. The cream-colored brick facade is plain, with patterned brickwork and a squat square tower over the central bay, but the auditorium behind it is richly decorated in the Beaux-Arts manner, with Doric pilasters, gilded masks, an undulating balcony on Ionic columns, and original curtain, lights and projection equipment. The design reflects the influence of Adler and Sullivan's Auditorium Building in Chicago, which also paired a grand hall with a revenue-producing business block. The building had the largest stage along the rail line from Richmond to Tennessee, but its heyday ended by 1930 as talking pictures arrived and vaudeville declined. It showed films until the mid-1960s. It is regarded as the only known surviving example of its kind in Southwest Virginia.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a fine example of the Beaux-Arts entertainment palaces of the early 20th century, and the only known surviving example of such a theatre in Southwest Virginia. It also shows the influence of Adler and Sullivan's Auditorium Building in Chicago by pairing an elaborate auditorium with an income-producing commercial block. Its interior decoration is highlighted as especially noteworthy.
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 79003074, listed May 7, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Washington Ave., Pulaski |
|---|---|
| County | Pulaski County |
| Listed | May 7, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003074 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1921 |
| Architect / builder | James C. Lombard & Co. |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Performing Arts |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as unused, empty and unoccupied at the time of nomination, with plans underway for renovation and reuse as a community-owned facility. It served as a movie theatre until the mid-1960s. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Pulaski Historic Commercial District |
| Coordinates | 37.04680, -80.77961 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 79003074.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15212639
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.