The Property
The Liberty Theater is one of Oregon’s best examples of a 1920s vaudeville-motion picture palace. Designed by the Portland firm of Bennes and Herzog, the theater was built in three years after a fire late in 1922 devastated more than 30 blocks of downtown Astoria.The Liberty exhibits the opulent design that made theaters of the time part of the show. Its exterior uses Mediterranean elements and continues that theme inside with 12 original oil paintings, all scenes of Venice, by the renowned regional artist Joseph Knowles. The interior also features a rich architectural fabric of ornamental plaster, which is entirely intact, and elegant lighting fixtures.
When it opened, the Liberty offered silent movies and vaudeville acts. Over the decades it has provided a broad variety of theatrical presentations, films and community events over the decades. In addition to the theater, the building includes retail spaces at the street level and some 7,000-square-feet of office space on the second floor.
Restoration Plans and Progress
Liberty Restoration, Inc., a private non-profit organization, purchased the theater in December 2000. LRI has raised about half of the $7.5 million cost of the restoration, including a $1.3 million City of Astoria urban renewal grant and a $399,000 federal Save America’s Treasures grant.
The plan is to restore the historic elegance of the theater while equipping it to be a contemporary performing arts center. The work includes a new electrical transformer and distribution network, new house lighting, repair and painting of the ceiling, restoration of the central chandelier and restoration of the Spanish tile roofing. The Knowles paintings will also receive a cleaning.
The restoration is about half finished and LRI expects to complete the task by 2005.
Public Access
Tours are available by appointment, and the theater is also open during events and open houses.
Contact Information
Liberty Theater
Tours
Steve Forrester
President, Liberty Restoration, Inc.
Phone: 503-325-3211
E-mail: sforrester@dailyastorian.com
Website: www.liberty-theater.org
Jo Robinson
Phone: 503-325-1966
E-mail: jsrgrand@pacifier.com
Event Booking
Mary Davies
Phone: 503-738-0313
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Other Points of Interest
Explore these links on the National Trust’s Web site to learn more about how preservation benefits individuals and communities.
America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places
Since 1988, this list has been one of the most effective tools in the fight to save America's irreplaceable architectural, cultural, and natural heritage. Use the new 11 Most Endangered database to learn about threatened sites in Oregon.
Website: www.nationaltrust.org/11most
Dozen Distinctive Destinations
These communities offer travelers enjoyable natural, historic, aesthetic, recreational, and cultural experiences all in one place. One of the choices in 2003 was Vancouver, Wash., whose beautiful location farther up the Columbia River had made it a stopping place for visitors for centuries.
Website: www.nationaltrust.org/dozen_distinctive_destinations
Historic Hotels
When visiting the Liberty Theater, expand the historic travel experience by staying at one of the 200 members of National Trust Historic Hotels of America. There are two Historic Hotels of America in Portland, the largest major city nearby.
The Governor Hotel
Website: www.nationaltrust.org/historic_hotels
The Heathman Hotel
Website: www.nationaltrust.org/historic_hotels
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