 In 1882 The Weil Family built a three-story, brick armory and office building on
South Center Street. When built, the building was the tallest in town. The high
Victorian Italianate style was noted for its ornamentations such as the arched windows
and cornices. A marquee was added in the mid 20th century.
Over the years, this structure housed many
different businesses. The home guard practiced drills on the third floor. The Oheb
Shalom congregation used the second floor as a synagogue for 3 years in 1883 until
their new building was completed. In the 1920’s the building became a venue for
entertainment including vaudeville and movies, and became the top motion picture
theater in Wayne County. It was then called the Mason Theater. The name was changed
in the later 1920’s.
The building closed in the mid 1980’s, but by 1991 many people in the community
began to work to re-open the Paramount as a Center for the Performing Arts. Fundraising
began in earnest, with a huge outpouring of participation from the community. Lee
Brown directed productions in 1991 and 1992 illuminated by borrowed lights and chairs
to raise interest in funds for the project.
In 1993, the completely renovated building was donated to the city. The city managed
the operation of the facility for the following 12 years. It was utilized over 85%
of the time for plays, pageants, musical events and other events produced locally.
On Saturday, February 19th, 2005 at 6:40
a.m. a fire devastated the Paramount Theatre. When it burned, citizens lined the
streets and watched in disbelief. The loss of the theatre was personal to many in
the community. Performing groups missed its convenient location and scrambled to
locate other space for presentations.
Because of the efforts by Mr. David Weil
and the City of Goldsboro, as well as numerous citizens in Wayne County, the theatre
was rebuilt. With a construction time of just 14 months, the new Paramount Theatre
officially reopened on February 15th, 2008. Dunn & Dalton Architects, T.A. Loving
Co. General Contractor.
|
|
|
|
|