Mount Baker Theatre

104 North Commercial Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
United States (US)

Arts and Entertainment, Landmarks

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The Mount Baker Theatre in downtown Bellingham’s Arts District is the largest performing arts facility of its kind north of Seattle. A beautifully restored 1927 architectural treasure, listed on the register of National Historic Places, the theatre is dedicated to showcasing some of the best live performing artists on both the professional and community levels for audiences in the North Puget Sound area and the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.

The Mount Baker Theatre ignites the imagination of audiences of all ages by providing some of the best local and national performing artists in the North Puget Sound region. The theatre, beautifully restored to its original splendor, spotlights the live arts that are essential to the region’s quality of life. Support the Mount Baker Theatre by becoming a member and enjoy rousing family programs, dazzling Broadway shows, renowned contemporary and classical artists and explosive rock acts.

Mount Baker Theatre was the creation of a nationwide movement to construct formidable theater buildings in the hearts of American cities. Now, decades later, the few remaining giant palaces of another era are involved in a new movement, this time to preserve a wonderful heritage and to restore the structures for community use, performing arts, and entertainment centers.

In 1978 the Mount Baker Theatre was placed on the National Historic Landmark Register. Through the cooperative efforts of the City of Bellingham, Whatcom County, the State of Washington, the citizen-based non-profit Mount Baker Theatre Center and numerous private donations, the historic landmark Mount Baker Theatre underwent extensive restoration and remodeling of the 1509-seat facility to assure a permanent and useful place in the cultural life of the community. It remains true to its heritage of stage presentations and community use events.

The construction of the Theatre itself was a monumental task, employing several different contractors and over 80 craftsmen experienced in stone masonry, carpentry, and plaster casting. The 130 x 250-foot theatre was outfitted to accommodate vaudeville stage productions on a 26 x 75-foot stage under a 42-foot proscenium arch. Dressing and practice rooms behind the stage were connected by a tunnel to the orchestra pit, and the best in counter-weight lighting systems were used to enhance the live performances.

Equally well-equipped to show motion pictures, MBT had the latest in projection room equipment and gadgetry, a flying screen, and a top-of-the-line Style 215 Wurlitzer theater pipe organ.

Mount Baker Theatre was to be one of the last grand vaudeville/silent movie palaces built in the entire Pacific Northwest. Later in its opening year (1927), a film called “The Jazz Singer” introduced the talking motion picture, an event that historians feel signaled the death of vaudeville and thus the need for a full stage in movie theaters. In addition, the onset of the depression in 1929 brought an end to investments in opulent movie palace theaters.

Source: Mount Baker Theatre

The Mount Baker Theatre in downtown Bellingham’s Arts District is the largest performing arts facility of its kind north of Seattle. A beautifully restored 1927 architectural treasure, listed on the register of National Historic Places, the theatre is dedicated to showcasing some of the best live performing artists on both the professional and community levels for audiences in the North Puget Sound area and the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.

The Mount Baker Theatre ignites the imagination of audiences of all ages by providing some of the best local and national performing artists in the North Puget Sound region. The theatre, beautifully restored to its original splendor, spotlights the live arts that are essential to the region’s quality of life. Support the Mount Baker Theatre by becoming a member and enjoy rousing family programs, dazzling Broadway shows, renowned contemporary and classical artists and explosive rock acts.

Mount Baker Theatre was the creation of a nationwide movement to construct formidable theater buildings in the hearts of American cities. Now, decades later, the few remaining giant palaces of another era are involved in a new movement, this time to preserve a wonderful heritage and to restore the structures for community use, performing arts, and entertainment centers.

In 1978 the Mount Baker Theatre was placed on the National Historic Landmark Register. Through the cooperative efforts of the City of Bellingham, Whatcom County, the State of Washington, the citizen-based non-profit Mount Baker Theatre Center and numerous private donations, the historic landmark Mount Baker Theatre underwent extensive restoration and remodeling of the 1509-seat facility to assure a permanent and useful place in the cultural life of the community. It remains true to its heritage of stage presentations and community use events.

The construction of the Theatre itself was a monumental task, employing several different contractors and over 80 craftsmen experienced in stone masonry, carpentry, and plaster casting. The 130 x 250-foot theatre was outfitted to accommodate vaudeville stage productions on a 26 x 75-foot stage under a 42-foot proscenium arch. Dressing and practice rooms behind the stage were connected by a tunnel to the orchestra pit, and the best in counter-weight lighting systems were used to enhance the live performances.

Equally well-equipped to show motion pictures, MBT had the latest in projection room equipment and gadgetry, a flying screen, and a top-of-the-line Style 215 Wurlitzer theater pipe organ.

Mount Baker Theatre was to be one of the last grand vaudeville/silent movie palaces built in the entire Pacific Northwest. Later in its opening year (1927), a film called “The Jazz Singer” introduced the talking motion picture, an event that historians feel signaled the death of vaudeville and thus the need for a full stage in movie theaters. In addition, the onset of the depression in 1929 brought an end to investments in opulent movie palace theaters.

Source: Mount Baker Theatre