Rowland Theater
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Rowland Theater
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Rowland Theater, June 2009
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| Location | Front St., Philipsburg, Pennsylvania |
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| Coordinates | 40°53′47″N 78°13′25″W / 40.89639°N 78.22361°WCoordinates: 40°53′47″N 78°13′25″W / 40.89639°N 78.22361°W |
| Built | 1917 |
| Architect | Julian Millard, W.A. Hoyt |
| NRHP reference # | 79002186 |
| Added to NRHP | October 18, 1979 |
The Rowland Theater (alternately spelled Theatre), located at 127 North Front Street, Philipsburg, Centre County, Pennsylvania, is an historic single screen movie theater, built in 1917 by Charles Hedding Rowland. The theater is owned by the borough of Phillipsburg.
The site of the Rowland Theatre building was previously occupied by the Pierce Opera House. Owned by Philipsburg business man J.H. Pierce and built sometime before 1889, this three story building was destroyed by fire, along with several other downtown buildings, on December 30, 1910. Then the Rowland family purchased the Opera House property on December 31, 1915, and immediately began making plans for the construction of a building which could house live theatrical performances as well as conventions and public meetings. The theatre is currently owned by Philipsburg Borough and leased to Rowland Theatre, Inc. a 501(c)3 non-profit. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. It is located in the Philipsburg Historic District.
U.S. Congressman Charles Hedding Rowland, born December 20, 1860, was one of several enterprising businessmen who engaged in coal mining operations in the Philipsburg Area. He was president of both the Moshannon Coal Mining Company and the Pittsburg and Susquehanna Railroad Companies during the late 19th century. He was later elected as a representative of the Republican Party to the 64th and 65th Congress. His terms of office as a U.S. Congressman began in March, 1915, and ended in March, 1919. He declined a re-nomination in 1918, serving out his remaining term before retiring.
Construction then was carried out under the direction of architect Julian Millard, designer, with W. A. Hoyt, serving as the construction engineer. Planning began in 1915, with construction starting in 1916, and completed in mid 1917
After completion of the construction of the theater, Rowland released this statement in a brochure distributed to the public on opening night in June, 1917:
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