Main Street Toccoa unveils second plaque of season

Main Street Toccoa unveiled the second historic plaque in the 2018-2019 series, last week, at the Star Theatre on West Doyle Street.

Main Street Manager Christian Hamilton says the Star Theatre was the first movie house in Toccoa.

“It was constructed between 1913 and 1917. It was a single-movie theatre and was constructed during the silent-movie era,” Hamilton said. “Historically, when that theatre was in operation, someone would have been playing a piano during the film. It was Toccoa’s first movie theatre.”

According to Hamilton, the theatre closed down around 1950, and later, opened as both a dry cleaner and a barber shop.

He adds that in 2016, new owner Chris Irvin meticulously restored the theater back to its original look.

“He has revitalized it. We featured it in our 2016 Living on Main Street magazine. He’s restored the hardwood floors, the pressed tin ceiling, and there’s a beautiful empire-style window above the stage. He uses it as an event center now for meetings, parties, etc.,” Hamilton explained.

During the unveiling, Irvin told those gathered, how he salvaged the original ticket window.

“The ticket window was on top of the backdrop which was about to fall, and when I originally saw it looked like a half of a piece of door. But I thought, why would someone cut a 1930s door. And so I got up there and I grabbed it. I just thought, ‘man, that’s a find right there,” Irvin said.

Hamilton says the historic plaque program celebrates the historic buildings in Toccoa, and the remaining plaques are set to follow each month, including one extra plaque that was recently added to the list.

“We have five more plaques after this,” he said. “We actually have added a plaque. We’ll putting a plaque on the American Legion building on Doyle St. As well. They’re celebrating their 50th anniversary here in Toccoa.”

Once all plaques have been installed, they will be added to Main Street Toccoa’s Historic Walking Tour Guide.