Restoring Nampa's Majestic Theatre

Photo By David R. Day

By David R. Day
Nampa Magazine

   Thirty-five cents would get you a ticket; just twelve if you were a kid.  Owner William E. Lees, Jr. from Ontario, Oregon opened with the feature film, Tonight and Every Night; a Technicolor musical with Rita Hayworth, Janet Blair and Lee Bowman.  The Pix Theater in downtown Nampa was one of the grandest in the West when it opened in 1946.  With plush spring seats, a “crying room” for ladies with children, and a fine lobby, separate ticket booth and snack bar, The Pix/Majestic/Frontier displayed epic films for until May of 2003.  Unfortunately, like many movie houses, it fell to the competition of television in.  The building sat vacant and was likely to see the wrecking ball.  “We are ripping down so many of the old buildings, especially theaters” said Jeff Cornelius.  “We needed to save The Majestic.  Many people wanted to just tear it down and build something new.”  With the creation of a building that would embrace Nampa’s past and enhance its future The Majestic Theatre Foundation was formed.  Under the hard work of Executive Director Lynn McConnell the building that by then was called the Frontier was purchased.

 

 

 

 

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A look at the current condition of the screen room where people once watched their favorite movies, ate popcorn and perhaps where young couples once held hands.
Some of the old original seats are still present in the building. Project managers have not yet decided whether to have these seats restored and recovered or to order new ones.

   This vision of the foundation is to provide for Nampa’s future needs while keeping a nostalgic link to Nampa’s past.  Creating a centerpiece for downtown Nampa that will promote a venue for entertainment, community events, and education while preserving an important piece of Nampa history.
   Shortly after purchasing The Frontier, disaster struck.  A powerful storm literally tore off the roof of the theater.  Many would have given up and called the wrecking crew.  Instead, the owners looked to the community for support. In the aftermath of this disaster, public and private donations were acquired and the theater was on its way to reconstruction. The first priority was rebuilding the roof.  Massive beams were set and a new truss system was placed to support the high ceiling required for a movie hall.  With a cover over the building, interior work continued at a slow, but sure pace.  “We are about 80 percent complete with the structure,” building contractor Kent Odem said.  “We should have the other 20 percent done this summer.”   
   The theater is in sad shape while repairs continue.  The front window speaks of long canceled Thursday night tours and is marked as a “Dangerous Building.  Currently, the best customers are the pigeons who love the easy access left by a hole in the unfinished roof.  The floor of the old lobby is now mostly a gaping hole awaiting concrete.  In the main seating area old seats are scattered about and a vintage film slicer sits waiting.  Up in the projection booth wires hang down and switches are set to “on”.  In one corner a “standup” image of Sean Connery peers back through the dust.
   There is a feeling of promise and hope in the old Majestic; you can almost hear the laughter . . . and the tears of the generations who watched Clark Gable as Rhett Butler “not giving a damn,” or Steve McQueen’s ’68 Mustang flying through the air in Bullet.  Despite all of the disarray, there is a dignity to this old movie house monument.  The pride of workers past and present shows.  It was a place where families gathered and young couples stole a kiss in the dark.  “So many people wanted us to just rip it down and build something new.  But we have lost so many of these great theaters we decided we should keep this one” Kent Odem stated.  The City of Nampa will be glad they did. When finished, the new facility will feature a restaurant with balcony seating, stadium seats, an improved kitchen for catering, new lighting and sound system.  Some of the original fixtures, fabric and seats have been salvaged and will be used to give the new showplace the look and feel of The Grand Old Majestic.
   The new venue will be designed to not just show films, but be a showplace for a diverse variety of community events.  The Majestic Foundation envisions everything from corporate training workshops to live performances.  The addition of a kitchen opens the new building for more formal affairs like community fundraisers. The Majestic civic project continues on a steady pace.  However, the completion depends on the outcome of grants and donations.  All of the plans are in place and with continued community support, The Majestic will once again rise as a landmark.

Current Photo's of the Majestic. (Photos may take a few minutes to load but are worth seeing!)

 

You may have stood in this lobby before. The ceiling plaster is falling due to water damage from the leaky roof.
Sean Connery peers back from the dust and debree. If he is waiting in line for a coke he will be waiting awhile yet.
Above: An old reel rewinder and editing machine still remains inside the projector room.
New steal beams were installed to support the roof structure.
The original foyer is stripped down to bare wood to replace wiring and any water damage in the walls.
Here one can see a major steel support beam that has been installed to support the new roof.

Holes are torn into the stage by vandals. Pigeon droppings litter the stage.