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A Jewel on Broad Street:The History of the Desoto Theatre aftermidnight · Fjaftermidnight

• 0:15
  Speaker 1: Welcome to the Voice of Local America, where we tell
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: the story of the people, places, and buildings that defy
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: our communities. Today we take you downtown to Rome, Georgia,
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  Speaker 1: to a landmark that has entertained generations, the DeSoto Theater.
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: This is the story of how a talkie movie house
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  Speaker 1: became a cultural gem and how it endured through the decades.
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: Segment one, The Birth of the De Soto, 1920. Our
• 0:58
  Speaker 1: story begins in the late 1920s. O.C. Lamb, the owner
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: of Latin Amusement Company, laid plans in 1928 to build
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  Speaker 1: a grand movie palace in downtown Rome His vision? To
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  Speaker 1: model the De Soto after New York's famous Roxy Theater.
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  Speaker 1: Opulent and state-of-the-art, and a true centerpiece for the city.
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  Speaker 1: But for more than just a pretty fucking lamb wanted
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  Speaker 1: it to become a modern. See, the De Soto was
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  Speaker 1: designed to be the fourth theater in the South, built
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  Speaker 1: specifically for Taki's sound films. When it opened on August 15, 1929,
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  Speaker 1: the venue offered luxury amenities, a Vodafone sound system, advanced
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  Speaker 1: heating and air blowing ventilation, and the tabular and boiler system.
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: There we go. All right. If even had fire safety innovation,
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  Speaker 1: multiple exits designed so the entire theater could be amplified
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  Speaker 1: just two minutes. The theater cost about $ 110, 000 to build,
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  Speaker 1: a massive investment at the time. It could seat roughly 1,500 people,
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  Speaker 1: making it one of Georgia's largest movie houses. Lamb named
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  Speaker 1: its DeSoto in honor of Hernando DeSoto, The explorer who
• 2:47
  Speaker 1: is believed by some historians to have passed through the
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  Speaker 1: regions that now in Rome. Segment two, golden years and renovation.
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  Speaker 1: The De Soto was instant hit for years. It was
• 3:02
  Speaker 1: the primary of entertainment centered in Northwest Georgia and parts
• 3:07
  Speaker 1: of Northeast Alabama. In 1947, the theater underwent a major renovation.
• 3:14
  Speaker 1: They added an art Deco Marquis. New wall painting in
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  Speaker 1: the auditorium. An art deco style concessions lounge and bathrooms.
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  Speaker 1: The changes gave the De Soto a more refined and
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  Speaker 1: modern feel. Blending classic Georgia interior elements with the Sikh
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  Speaker 1: assets of mid-century design. Segment three. Shift to live theater 1980.
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  Speaker 1: By the early 1980s, things changed. On September 24, 1982,
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  Speaker 1: the DeSoto closed as a movie theater, but I didn't
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  Speaker 1: stay dark for long. The Rome Literary Theater, a community
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: theater group founded in 1933, purchased the building. They transferred
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  Speaker 1: the interior to accompany a live theatrical production, adding a
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  Speaker 1: thrust to change. orchestra, pit, lightning, and new seats. The
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  Speaker 1: forced production in the De Soto, the sound of music,
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  Speaker 1: this pirate for cinnamon to live theater ensured the De
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  Speaker 1: Soto remained a hub of cultural life in Rome. Segment four,
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  Speaker 1: preservation and revival. In 2008, the historic De Soto Theater
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  Speaker 1: founded was established to preserve and restore this landmark. The
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  Speaker 1: Rome Little Theater deed the building over to the foundation,
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  Speaker 1: recognizing that the De Soto needed dedicated care to survive.
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  Speaker 1: Key restoration milestones followed. In 2009, the foundation partnered with
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  Speaker 1: the Fox Theater Institution to restore theater websites. By 2011,
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  Speaker 1: they repaired the roof vacate and brought the Exterior back
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  Speaker 1: to the original 1929 look. In 2012, a lightning strike
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  Speaker 1: caused a fire, but thankfully it was contained without destroying
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  Speaker 1: the building. In 2013, a $ 3, 500, 000 project revived the auditorium.
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  Speaker 1: Near historically accurate seats, marbling bathrooms, travel time, floors and
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  Speaker 1: art deco'd, Additionally, improving came later concessions, lounging a kitchen,
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  Speaker 1: and upgraded sound and electric systems. Segment five, community and
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  Speaker 1: cultural impacts. Over time, the DeSoto has become more than
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  Speaker 1: just a theater. It's a community and anchored. Rome Little
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  Speaker 1: Theater remains the resident company, staying plays, musicians, and events.
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  Speaker 1: The theater hosts Concert film screenings include for the Rome
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  Speaker 1: International Film Festival and community gatherings. It is also available
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  Speaker 1: for private rentals with a beautiful Restore Art Decode Auditorium,
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  Speaker 1: a middle lobby, and 500-seat capacity. In 2024, the De
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  Speaker 1: Soto received $ 110, 000 grant from the Georgia Trust for Historic
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  Speaker 1: Preservation for Moriarty. and the faculty restoration, plus $ 40, 000 grant
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  Speaker 1: for Atlanta Fox Theater for structure planning. Segment six, legacy
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  Speaker 1: and future. Host, today the DeSoto Theater stands as living
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  Speaker 1: monument to Rome past, but it's not frozen in time.
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  Speaker 1: In Georgia entire art deco markets and mirrored, entrance lobby
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  Speaker 1: continued for delight, vision, and local alike. This historic DeSoto
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  Speaker 1: Theater Foundation in the Rome Little Theater ensures that restoration
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  Speaker 1: is ongoing and that the venue serves for future generations.
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  Speaker 1: As it enters in second centeria, the DeSoto remains a
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  Speaker 1: place where history and art converge, a jewel on Broad
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  Speaker 1: Street that reminds us how building can hold the dream
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  Speaker 1: of a community. Thanks for joining me today on Voice
• 7:51
  Speaker 1: of Local America. Hope you enjoyed this walk through the
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  Speaker 1: remarkable history of the De Soto Theory, a story of innovation, preservation,
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  Speaker 1: and community. If you ever find yourself in Jerome, Georgia,
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  Speaker 1: make sure to stop by and take it in a
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  Speaker 1: show or just soak it in the architecture the history
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  Speaker 1: and the spirit of the place until next time stay
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  Speaker 1: curious and keep supporting this place that helps tell our
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  Speaker 1: stories