The Capital Theater in Ely, Nevada was built in 1916 by C.O. Fleming and W.P. Hull. The building began as a

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

hall that hosted a diverse range of live entertainment, including acrobats, comedians, lecturers, and magicians. The building reopened as a cinema in 1923, at a time when films were becoming popular. The theater closed in 1963. The building's style represents a possible reconstruction after a 1929 fire, and might best be described as Spanish Colonial Revival. The theater's design was carried out by the owners. The tall brick exterior's lower portion, which houses the retail stores, has been altered, but the upper two thirds remain as built with a scalloped parapet. The interior was remodeled in the

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...

style in 1938, shortly after the Hull brothers' other theater, the Central Theater, was completed in the same style. The Capital was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1993. Brothers Brad and Chris Lani, local residents originally from Hawaii, purchased the theater from owner Norm Goeringer in December 2004. In January 2007, the Lanis announced plans to renovate the building and reopen it as a multi-purpose theater for films, concerts, and theatrical performances. The building was found to be in excellent condition following an inspection. At the time, the building was occupied by Herline Jewelry and Fantasy Fast Photo.

References

Cinemas and movie theaters in Nevada Ely, Nevada Theatres completed in 1916 Buildings and structures in White Pine County, Nevada Theatres on the National Register of Historic Places in Nevada 1916 establishments in Nevada Art Deco architecture in Nevada Art Deco cinemas and movie theaters Spanish Colonial Revival architecture in the United States Spanish Colonial Revival cinemas and movie theaters National Register of Historic Places in White Pine County, Nevada {{Nevada-NRHP-stub