The Marianne Theater on the Way to the National Register!

We’re waiting to hear from the National Park Service on the final step in our National Register nomination for Fairfield Avenue’s architectural and nostalgic gem, the Marianne Theater located at 609 Fairfield Avenue.   The Marianne was designed by architect Paul B. Kiel in 1941 and built in 1942 by owner-manager Peter L. Smith. Stop by and take in her beautiful and colorful façade.   The design draws upon motifs from Art Deco and Moderne styles, featuring symmetrical design, glazed and colored tile, contrasts between horizontal and vertical elements, and geometrical shapes. The front facade is divided into three bays – a prominent entry bay flanked by a wing on each side. According to the David Killen who wrote the nomination, “Considered Ultra Modern in comparison to other neighboring theaters, the Marianne was a social destination for the residents of Bellevue. The neighborhood theater became a significant place in which Americans participated in cultural entertainments and forged their cultural values… [It] remains remarkably intact from its time of construction.” It was nominated under Criterion C, property that embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction. Its significance was evaluated within the context “Neighborhood Theaters in Northern Kentucky, 1929-1965.”