The Vint Hill Theater is a rare surviving example of a venue designed for a single-screen cinema.  The theater is historically significant for both architectural design and for its war-time association with the Vint Hill Farms Station army base.

The theater was likely built in the 1940s during the build-up in military housing at the base and was certainly in existence in 1952 as evidenced by historical aerial photography.  Aware of the possibility of morale problems due to living conditions, health, and fatigue, the Army made efforts to create opportunities for leisure activities, including organized baseball games, boxing matches and movie screenings.  The Vint Hill Theater was constructed to bolster higher morale.

The architecture of the theater building is characterized by its projecting facade and parapet topped with a large horizontal sign spelling “THEATER.”  A marquee below the sign advertises showings.  The brick building is rectangular in plan with a flat roof.  The storefront windows have historically significant aluminum frames. Although aluminum windows appear in the early 1900s, it wasn’t until after WWII that aluminum windows gained widespread use.  The exterior ticket windows, which are character-defining features, contribute to the significance of the building.

The interior of the theater features a full stage with a curved proscenium.  The theater seating was replaced in 2015 but the auditorium’s original sloping concrete floor remains intact.  In the rear wall of the auditorium is the window to the projection booth where a film projector would have projected movies through the window to a screen at the stage.

With a shift to multiplex cinemas in the late-20th century, many single-screen cinema theaters were unable to compete and closed.  More recently, smaller theaters are in danger of closing due to the expense of digital projectors needed to show digital formats.

The Vint Hill Theater retains its historical integrity through preservation of its original character-defining features.  Its continued use as a community venue adds to the retention of its historical character.

Current Use:

With seating for up to 200 and updated theater seats, carpet, and paint, the theater makes for a beautiful venue for a show.  The Theater on the Green is currently operated in partnership with the Fauquier Community Theatre.  You can find information regarding future shows at www.fctstage.org.