Toccoa Main Street to Hang Historic Plaque Thursday

Main Street Toccoa is set to place the second historic plaque in the 2018 – 2019 series this afternoon.

Today, Main Street representatives will be placing the Historic marker at the Star Theatre on West Doyle St.

Main Street Manager Christian Hamilton says the Star Theatre is 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.”

The theater closed down around 1950, and later opened as both a dry cleaner and a barber shop.

In 2016, new owner Chris Irvin meticulously restored the theater 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.

The historic plaque program highlights historic buildings in Toccoa, and the remaining plaques are set to follow each month, according to Hamilton, 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.”

Today’s plaque ceremony takes place this afternoon at 5p at the Star Theatre downtown and the public is invited.

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