The Lincoln Theatre in Marion is one of the last Mayan Revival-style theatres in the world.

The Lincoln Theater in MarionPhoto byWikipedia

Marion, Virginia holds a hidden treasure

There is a treasure hidden in plain sight in Virginia in Smyth County. The Lincoln Theatre in Marion is a three-story theater built in 1929 behind the Royal Oak Apartment House. Access to the theatre is gained through a broad arcade on the ground floor of the apartment building. The Lincoln is one of the last remaining Mayan Revival-style theatres in the world.

Mayan Revival is a modern architectural style popular in the Americas during the 1920s and 1930s that drew inspiration from the architecture and iconography of pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures. (Wikipedia)

Lincoln Theatre interiorPhoto byTrip Advisor screenshot

The historic building has it's ghost stories

There is a single bulb "ghost light" in the theatre so that no one in the building will fall in the dark. There are also the usual theatre rumors that ghost performers sometimes come on stage to dance under this light. The Lincoln Theatre is located in the Marion Historic District and in 1992 was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The interior of the Lincoln Theatre is designed in a similar manner to an ancient Mayan temple. There are also six large paintings, depicting scenes from local and American history. The theatre closed its doors in 1977 but reopened in 2004 as a community performing arts center.