About the Theatre!
“Where Community Takes Center Stage.”
A Brief History:
The Meigs Theatre was founded in 1948 by WH Rockholt. In 1950 he built an adjoining dry good store selling hardware, appliances, furniture, etc. Located in Downtown Decatur directly across Hwy 58 from the County Courthouse, both businesses were operated by the Rockholt family until 1964 when theatre operations closed. In 1975 the theatre space was renovated to be a part of the adjoining Rockholt Furniture Store and resumed being a cornerstone of downtown business until 2008 when operations were permanently closed.
In 2019 both buildings were sold to a private investment partnership which converted the former dry goods store space to offices leased to the State of Tennessee Dept’s of Children and Human Services. Additional available space has been converted to Air BnB Lodging, the only public lodging available in downtown Decatur. In 2023 the investment firm will transfer ownership of the Theatre to the Foundation.
The Theatre building had fallen into a serious state of disrepair. Emergency repairs to the Theatre portion of the building commenced in early 2020. Foundations were reinforced and crumbling walls were torn down and replaced. New roofing was installed, and the building structure has been stabilized awaiting additional renovations. A new parking lot was added with security lighting, providing ample downtown parking for future Theatre operations. An 800 square foot Green Room & Back Stage Room structure has been added to the west side of the building, awaiting completion along with the primary structure.
Our Mission:
The mission of the Meigs Theatre Foundation is threefold:
- The preservation and restoration of the Historic Meigs Theatre, its rural character, and heritage.
- Promote the visual, literary, and performing arts through awareness, participation, and education of the arts, via recorded, virtual, and live events.
- The Foundation wants to promote the orderly growth and development of the Town of Decatur, and County of Meigs by developing a Performing Arts Center which will provide much needed jobs and sales tax revenue.
The Foundation will work towards the attainment of these objectives through educational program partnerships with local schools, cooperation, and collaboration with other performing arts groups in the region such as The Athens Area Council for the Arts, Boys and Girls Club of Meigs County and the Ocoee Region, the Monroe Area Council for the Arts, etc. We envision the Theatre to be a place where local arts organizations can perform community Theatre, live concerts, showing of historically significant films, host weddings and community events. We believe it will again become the hub of Downtown Decatur and Meigs County life.
We would also naturally partner with the Town of Decatur and the Chamber of Commerce, particularly regarding the ongoing Downtown Summer Nights programs. The Theatre could act as a “foul weather” location for DTSN events or even partner for additional events during the DTSN season. We feel the completion of this project will increase the opportunity for the expansion and enhancement of the arts landscape in our community.
The opportunity this organization has to influence not only the economic development of this community through jobs and tax revenue, but arts and cultural development, is tremendous.
As with any non-profit organization, grant funding, endowments and donations will be the key to obtaining our goals.
