The Detroit Cinema History caches are a Dedication to the local Creation or Viewing and Enjoyment of Cinema over the years in the area. It's a companion to the Michigan Cinema History Series of Caches.
Please do this one during DAYLIGHT hours only.
The Majestic Theatre
Open: 1915 | Theatre Closed: 1950's | Capacity: 1651
The Original Facade prior to the Woodward Avenue Widening.
The Majestic Theater was opened on April 1, 1915 as a legitimate playhouse with 1,651 seats. By the late-1920’s had switched to films. The theatre was originally designed by C. Howard Crane.
An interesting early feature of the Majestic Theater was its lighting system which could simulate dawn or dusk in the auditorium before the show. It also had an early air-conditioning system where huge blocks of ice in the basement were blown on by large fans and the air circulated throughout the theater.
The interior of the theater, under construction.
In the early 30s, when Woodward Avenue was being widened, Crane's original facade was remodeled by the firm of Bennett & Straight who created a colorful, soaring terra cotta-clad Art Deco facade for the Majestic.
Eventually, the Majestic became a second and third-run movie house and after the theater closed in the 1950s, evolved into a church, photo studio, and, later even a trophy store.
The post-widening facade of the Majestic.
Finally, in 1987, it was restored and reopened as a concert hall many "big-name" acts have taken the stage since then.
Some have even commented on how "strange" it seems that the former lobby space is now where the two right-hand lanes of northbound Woodward are located.
The Cache is NOT a difficult hide. The Difficulty is in the area and being stealthy.
BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS.
The Cache is designed to bring you here... and give you some history.
Enjoy the hunt as i've enjoyed the hide. :-)