Fairborn Theater (Fairborn, Ohio)

 theatre, cinema, place with historical importance

Completed in 1948, the Fairborn Theatre has been added to the National Register for its local significance as an example of the streamlined Art Moderne style architecture of the 1940s. Designed for Chakeres Theatres by Lloyd Zeller and Herman Hunter, it is located near Wright Patterson Air Force Base, and many of the shapes used in the design seem chosen to evoke flight. Tan brick frames an undulating wall of beige terra cotta, with a curvilinear roofline that ‘takes off’ from one side of the facade, rising to the midpoint of a tower that resembles an upright airplane wing with the word ‘Fairborn’ descending vertically. The marquee features a neon mask that, when lighted, alternates comedy and tragedy. Inside, off the round lobby, a mural depicts an airman and WAC with WWII-era planes overhead. Located on S.R. 444, the Fairborn served a regional audience. The building reflects how commercial development evolved in response to increased traffic on American highways in the mid-20th century. The National Register nomination was prepared by Jen Stoecker of Dayton for Fairborn Performing Arts & Cultural Association, which owns the theatre.

www.ohiohistory.org/resource/histpres/programs/nrpr-081...