Henrico Theatre
One of only two surviving Art Deco structures in Henrico County, built in 1938 using poured concrete — a new technology at the time — with an original IBM clock above the marquee that echoes the theater’s own geometric silhouette.
At a glance
The Henrico Theatre stands at 305 East Nine Mile Road in Highland Springs, Henrico County, Virginia. Built in 1938 to the design of architect Edward F. Sinnott, it is constructed of poured concrete (then a cutting-edge building technology) and brick in the Art Deco style. The facade is organized in three bays, with the recessed central bay featuring the theater’s name in large stylized letters, the original marquee, and an IBM clock designed to echo the building’s geometric form. One of the partners who built the theater had previously developed the Byrd Theatre in Richmond. The Henrico Theatre is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register (2005) and was restored at a cost of $5.8 million and reopened in 2007 as a community facility.
Key facts
- Built: 1938
- Opened: April 25, 1938 (showing Thin Ice starring Sonja Henie)
- Style: Art Deco
- Architect: Edward F. Sinnott
- Structure: Poured concrete and brick
- Location: 305 E. Nine Mile Rd., Highland Springs, Virginia
- NRHP: Listed November 9, 2005 (#05001226)
- Restoration: $5.8 million, reopened 2007 as community facility
History
Highland Springs is an unincorporated community in Henrico County, Virginia, located east of Richmond near what is now Richmond International Airport. In 1938 it was a semi-rural suburb, and the Henrico Theatre was built to serve a dispersed county population that could not easily reach Richmond’s downtown movie palaces. One of the theater’s original owners had previously developed the Byrd Theatre in Richmond — a much larger and more ornate picture palace — which suggests that the Henrico represented a deliberate effort to bring quality cinema to a neighborhood audience with smaller means but similar ambitions.
The theater opened on April 25, 1938, with a showing of Thin Ice starring Sonja Henie, and was immediately praised for its architecture — described by contemporary observers as some of the best recent work in the Richmond area. Its amenities included air conditioning, advanced lighting, and a modern projection system, despite its then-rural location. The theater operated continuously until 1996, closed briefly, and was purchased by Henrico County in 1999.
A $5.8 million restoration returned the theater to operation in 2007 as a community performance space and event venue. The Henrico Theatre remains one of only two surviving significant Art Deco structures in Henrico County, and its 2005 National Register listing and Virginia Landmarks Register designation acknowledge its architectural distinction in a suburban county that has otherwise lost most of its pre-war building stock.
What you see
The Henrico Theatre’s three-bay facade organizes the building’s public presence with clarity and precision. The two flanking bays frame the recessed center in a composition that draws the eye inward toward the entrance. In the central bay, the theater’s name appears in large stylized letters above the marquee — a form of architectural typography characteristic of Art Deco, where letterforms are as much ornamental decisions as functional information. The IBM clock above the marquee, custom-designed to echo the building’s own geometric silhouette, is a rare survivor: a piece of commercial graphic design integrated into the architecture from the beginning.
Poured concrete, relatively unusual for a theater of this scale and period, gives the Henrico a smooth, monolithic quality that distinguishes it from the brick and terra cotta of most contemporary American commercial buildings. Architect Edward F. Sinnott’s handling of the concrete — its surfaces, joints, and reveals — demonstrates the possibilities of the material for Art Deco design, where flat surfaces and crisp geometry are natural companions to the industrial technology of poured forms.
Practical information
- Active community venue managed by Henrico County Parks and Recreation
- 305 East Nine Mile Road, Highland Springs — check county website for events and rental information
- Highland Springs is 7 miles east of downtown Richmond via I-64 or US-60
- Richmond International Airport is 2 miles north, making the Henrico Theatre a convenient stop before or after flights
Getting there
The Henrico Theatre is at 305 East Nine Mile Road, Highland Springs, Virginia 23075. Take I-64 East from Richmond to Exit 195 (Laburnum Avenue), then follow Nine Mile Road east approximately 1 mile. Richmond International Airport is 2 miles north. The Henrico Theatre website (henrico.us/rec/places/henrico-theatre/) lists current programming and rental availability.
Nearby
- Richmond International Airport — 2 miles north
- Byrd Theatre — 7 miles west in Richmond, built by the same developer
- Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site — 7 miles west in Richmond
- Historic Richmond neighborhoods — Church Hill and East End, 5-7 miles west
Sources
- National Register of Historic Places nomination #05001226 — NPS, November 2005
- Wikipedia: “Henrico Theatre” — Art Deco, architect Edward F. Sinnott, built 1938
- Bryan Clark Green and Susan Reed, NRHP nomination, June 2005 — Virginia Department of Historic Resources
- Virginia Landmarks Register #043-0287
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