Mega Fields and My Team
Ingress Teamwork!
Tenino Liberty Theater
Address: 285 - 287 Southeast Sussex
Built in 1914, the eastern fa?ade of the building was the Liberty Theater for many years. It is currently the Veterans of Foreign Wars George Pendarvis Post No. 5878. The post was formed in February 1946 by recently discharged veterans of World War n and veterans of World War I in Tenino. It is named for George Pendarvis, a sailor from Tenino killed in action aboard the battleship California at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7, 1941. The Ladies' Auxiliary to the VFW was formed shortly after the post was started. The post owns this part of the building where they have meetings and social events. The taxable portion of the building is the barbershop. The main building was occupied by a saloon during the teens and 1920s, and later a dry goods store and retail offices were located here. It has been for many years the location of The Tenino (Thurston County) Independent newspaper. The rear section facing Howard was used for many years as the switching office for the Tenino Telephone Company, which is a local telephone service. Source: Orth, Joy, "Tenino Independent Building has been through a lot since it was built in 1914." The Independent Sun News. January 14,1998. Information from VFW Post No. 5878
KenLaytonKenLayton on August 3, 2011 at 9:57 am
More history I have discovered about this theater. It had opened and closed several times over the years as well as had several name changes.
Opened in 1915 as the Circuit Theater and closed in 1916. Mr. T.J. McClellan was the manager at that time.
Reopened in 1917 as the Lotus Theater and closed again in 1921. Managers during this time were R.J. Charles, Wren Scott, and R.S. Bowen.
Reopened in 1923 as the Liberty Theater. Manager was R. L. Bowen at the time.
In 1936 the theater was remodeled and the name was changed to the Tenino Theater. In closed around 1961
original glass block and awning of the theater is still there. Go to the side street where the theater ’s original entrance was and you’ll see it. My late friend, Tex Taylor, got his first projectionist job from the projection union at this theater when he worked there in 1952