Appalachian Theatre of the High Country. Photo courtesy of ATHC
By Lauren Stepp
In the early 20th century, Boone was a lonely place. Nestled in the High Country, the town’s only thread to life beyond the mountains was the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad. W. Ralph Winkler and A.E. Hamby wanted to change that.
In 1937, the men purchased a lot on the south side of West King Street and began constructing what would soon emerge as the cornerstone of Watauga County: the Appalachian Theatre.
“They had a big, bold vision to put a rather substantially sized theatre in this really little, embryonic town,” says Laura Kratt, executive director of what is now known as the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country (ATHC).
Kratt explains that when the Appalachian Theatre first opened on November 14, 1938, the cinema seated 999 patrons—a huge crowd compared to the mere 1,700 residents then living in Boone. Though the two-story, Art Deco showplace felt grandiose against the backdrop of a relatively sparse downtown, Winkler and Hamby had a plan.
Theatre lobby. Photo courtesy of ATHC
“The theatre was always intended as a regional destination,” says Kratt. “It was intended to become a landing place that brought people from throughout the High Country to see movies and learn about what was happening on a worldwide basis.”
And that it did. For decades, the old Appalachian Theatre screened Hollywood blockbusters and hosted the likes of bluegrass legend Doc Watson, encouraging mountain folk to “come out of the hills and hollers,” says Kratt.
One old-timer who lived in Aho, an unincorporated community located south of Boone, purportedly walked 18 miles round-trip just to sit in a spring-edge upholstered seat and watch a show. For a dime, she bought a ticket, a drink and a hotdog. “For many people, that was incredible,” says Kratt. “The theatre was a big deal.”
But life at the cinema wasn’t always picture-perfect. On January 21, 1950, as moviegoers were enjoying Gene Autry’s Riders of the Whistling Pines, a defective popcorn machine caught fire and the auditorium roof collapsed. Though no patrons were seriously injured, the conflagration heralded a new era for the theatre.
While Winkler scrambled to rebuild, the Sky-Vu drive-in opened in Boone. A new technology called television was also anchoring more and more families to their sofas. In the 1950s, ticket sales started to plummet at the theatre. The trend continued until 2007 when the cinema officially closed.
“The community mourned the loss of the theatre,” says Kratt. “What was once the heart of downtown was just sitting, boarded-up and empty.”
In October 2019, after a $10 million renovation project, ATHC opened only to close at the start of the pandemic. But this spring, it’s finally regaining momentum as a nonprofit performing arts center featuring film and live acts.
“For decades, the Appalachian Theatre has provided locals with entertainment and an escape—an excuse to interact and connect with the broader community,” says Kratt. “We’re excited to continue providing that.”
The Appalachian Theatre of the High Country is located at 559 West King Street in Boone. For more information, visit AppTheatre.org.
