BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — The historic Granada Theatre, which was closed in 1977, will soon come back to life, thanks to the efforts of a local preservation group.
Skip Crane, treasurer of the Bluefield Preservation Society, told MetroNews affiliate WJLS the theatre’s rich history includes appearances by many performers who would later go to become entertainment legends.
“It was built as a Vaudeville theatre. So, back in the 20’s and 30’s and early 40’s, Greer Garson, the Three Stooges, the Lone Ranger…he’d pass out silver bullets when he came there,” said Crane, explaining that Bluefield’s location made it an attractive hub for performers who were on their way to much larger destinations.
“Bluefield was on the main circuit from the train station from Washington D.C. to Chicago, Bluefield was the halfway point. So, if they were taking a show to Chicago..they would stop in Bluefield for the night, which gave Bluefield the golden opportunity to have Broadway show-type things,” he said.
When the Granada is completely restored, it will feature an original piece of the decor, a Wurlitzer Style EX Opus 1790 theater organ. Crane said the organ was taken to the Evans Theater in Indiana several years ago, and later was transferred to Huntington, where it was installed at the Keith Albee Theater before being returned to Bluefield. He also said the upper two levels will remain in the original architectural design of the interior, which is a strict requirement when utilizing government grants and tax credits to preserve historic structures.
“If you’re going to use state grant money, it has to be put back like it was the day it was opened. That’s part of the deal,” he explained, adding that he expects the restoration to be complete within a year, thanks in large part to the Development Authority of the Greater Bluefield Area, a non-profit organization which acquired the Granada at auction for $70,000 and later sold the building to the Bluefield Preservation Society for the same amount. When the restoration is complete, Crane said the uses for the building will include concerts, dinners, movies, conventions, weddings, and banquets.
Tax-deductible donations can be made online at www.gofundme.com/savethegranada, or by calling the Bluefield Preservation Society at 304-589-0239. Checks can be sent to Bluefield Preservation Society, P.O. Box 4044, Bluefield, WV 24701.