60,000 people a year flock to a former Alabama horse stable – here’s why

From Horse Stable to Art Deco Theater Palace

The Princess Theatre in Decatur started life as a horse stable in 1887.

By 1919, those horse stalls gave way to movie seats when it opened as a vaudeville and film house on December 30. Then came the big change in 1941.

Architect Albert Frahn turned it into an Art Deco gem with a massive neon marquee, glow-in-the-dark murals, and a floor map of Alabama right in the lobby.

After years as a movie palace, it closed in 1978, but the city saved it. Now this 677-seat historic landmark hosts shows for 60,000 visitors each year.

The story behind this Alabama treasure shows how one building can live many lives.

Horses Once Lived Where Audiences Now Applaud

The Princess Theatre started as a simple horse stable in 1887.

It served the fancy Casa Grande Hotel in downtown Decatur, housing guests’ horses during Alabama’s post-Civil War boom.

The brick building on busy 2nd Avenue had high ceilings and open floors, which later made it perfect for a theater.

For over 30 years, horses, not movie stars, filled the building.

Actors and Silent Films Replaced Hay and Horses in 1919

Local business owners bought the old stable in 1919 and turned it into an entertainment spot. Workers cleared the inside, built a stage, and added seats for crowds eager to see vaudeville shows and silent films.

The Princess Theatre opened on December 30, 1919, with a live show called “Tea for Three.” The next day, it showed its first movie, “The Wolf.”

Decatur folks now had a modern place to enjoy the latest entertainment.

Roaring Twenties Brought Big Changes to the Small-Town Theatre

The Princess became Decatur’s social center in the 1920s. It hosted traveling vaudeville acts with jugglers, comedians, and musicians alongside silent films.

After 1927, the theater quickly added sound equipment for “talkies. ” Even during the Great Depression, local families saved nickels and dimes for movie tickets.

The Princess offered a cheap escape from hard times, showing double features and Saturday cartoon programs for kids.

The Great Depression Didn’t Stop a Fancy Makeover

By the late 1930s, the Princess looked old compared to newer movie houses.

Theater owners made a bold choice to hire local architect Albert Frahn to redesign the building in the flashy Art Deco style.

This was a huge money risk as America still climbed out of the Depression.

They closed the theater in 1940, hoping the investment would bring bigger crowds and more ticket sales. The complete makeover took nearly a year.

Neon Lights and Sleek Lines Changed Decatur’s Skyline

Work crews filled the Princess throughout 1940 and early 1941. The plain brick front vanished behind a sleek new face with clean lines and Art Deco decorations.

The most eye-catching addition was a massive two-story neon marquee that lit up the night with over 3,000 feet of glowing tubes.

The theater’s name shone brightly above 2nd Avenue, visible from blocks away. The building’s new look shocked locals who knew it as the old stable-turned-basic theater.

The Inside Got Just as Much Wow Factor as the Outside

The inside makeover matched the dramatic outside changes.

Workers painted the walls rich burgundy and gray and added unique glow-in-the-dark murals that came alive when lights went down.

The floors got special fluorescent carpeting that glowed softly, helping moviegoers find their way. New comfy seats, better projection gear, and improved sound completed the update.

The lobby featured a stunning terrazzo floor with an Alabama map, showing the Tennessee River and marking Decatur.

Movie Fans Rushed to See Ginger Rogers at the Grand Reopening

The transformed Princess Theatre reopened on August 7, 1941, showing the romantic comedy “Tom, Dick and Harry” starring Ginger Rogers.

Crowds lined up around the block to see both the popular film and the theater’s amazing new look. Local newspapers called it the most beautiful and modern theater in North Alabama.

The Princess quickly became Decatur’s crown jewel, drawing visitors from nearby towns who came to watch movies in such fancy surroundings.

The Princess Ruled Decatur Entertainment for Decades

From the 1940s through the 1960s, the Princess enjoyed its golden age.

During World War II, it showed newsreels with updates from the battlefields alongside Hollywood films. In the rich post-war years, the theater hosted movie openings with searchlights and red carpets.

Generations of Decatur residents had their first dates, family outings, and special events at the Princess. The theater kept its distinctive Art Deco style while many similar venues across America got plain updates.

TV and Shopping Malls Nearly Killed the Downtown Icon

The Princess faced tough times in the 1970s as entertainment habits changed.

New multi-screen theaters opened in suburban shopping malls, offering several movie choices in one place.

Families stayed home with color TVs and later, VCRs.

Downtown Decatur struggled as businesses moved to the outskirts, and the Princess saw smaller crowds each year.

By 1978, the once-grand movie palace closed its doors. The building sat empty, with many locals fearing it would become a parking lot.

The City Stepped In to Save a Piece of History

The City of Decatur bought the closed theater in 1978 to stop it from being torn down. Officials started a $750,000 renovation project to turn the old movie house into a modern performing arts center.

Workers carefully saved the Art Deco elements while updating the stage, seats, and technical systems.

Local businesses gave materials, and volunteers helped with cleaning and painting. After five years of work, the Princess was ready for its third act in Decatur’s cultural life.-

Today’s Princess Connects Past and Future Through the Arts

The Princess Theatre reopened in 1983 as a performing arts center and has thrived ever since.

In 1995, it earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing its architectural and cultural significance.

Today, about 60,000 people visit the Princess each year for concerts, plays, films, and special events. The theatre runs strong education programs that bring 20,000 students through its doors annually.

The 677-seat venue that began as a humble horse stable now stands as living proof that old buildings can find new purpose when communities value their history.

Visiting Princess Theatre, Alabama

You can catch shows at The Princess Theatre at 112 2nd Avenue Northeast, a 677-seat venue that’s been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1995.

This former livery stable turned Art Deco theater hosts concerts, plays, dance performances, films and comedy shows. Tickets typically run $46-$66 for most events.

The theater also has a smaller 80-100 seat listening room for intimate performances with national touring artists across many different genres.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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