The Harbor Theatre opened in 1938 as the Florence Theatre. The theatre was located at 1377 Bay St, Florence, Oregon, and the building remains there today. It features a classic art deco style that was reminiscent of classic American theatres built in the 1930’s. The building offered modernity for the time, and the style mirrored those of small town American cinemas across the country. The building didn’t need to rely on excessive decoration but instead relied on the stucco exterior. This highlighted simplistic and stylish Art Deco architecture that provides a sense of comfort and familiarity. Like many theatres established in the early 19th century, The Harbor Theatre offered a built-in box office next to the entrance of the theatre where patrons could buy their tickets.. The colorful awning featured on the Harbor Theatre building was also a common aspect of Art Deco style theaters of this era. The architecture was built around the importance of the social hub that theatre’s once provided. The building now hosts a retail store but the architecture of the building has been preserved, giving Florence tourists an up close idea of what 1930’s cinema architecture had to offer.
