Fox Theatre

The story

The building was planned as the Yaarab Shrine Temple, headquarters for a 5,000-member Shriners organization, which explains its Moorish design. Principal architect Olivier Vinour of Marye, Alger and Vinour designed it. When costs ran past the Shriners' budget, they leased the 4,665-seat auditorium to William Fox, and the theater opened on December 25, 1929, two months after the stock market crash.

In 1974 Southern Bell offered to buy the theater and tear it down. Public outcry and a big campaign to save it followed, and in 1976 the Fox was named a National Historic Landmark.

Everything that was here

• 1929–present · still open

  Fox TheatreTheater

  The Fox was designed as a Shriners' temple. When the $2.75 million project ran over budget, the Shriners leased the auditorium to movie mogul William Fox.

  See the map in 1930 →
• 1911–present · still open

  Georgian Terrace HotelHotel

  When "Gone with the Wind" premiered in 1939, the film's stars and director stayed here, except for Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier.

  See the map in 1912 →
• 1893–1977

  Loew's Grand TheatreTheater

  The theater where Gone with the Wind premiered was destroyed in a suspicious fire many believed was arson.

  See the map in 1894 →
• 1925–1932

  Margaret Mitchell HouseHistoric Home

  Where Gone with the Wind was written in a cramped apartment she called 'The Dump'—twice targeted by arsonists.

  See the map in 1926 →

Did you know?

Nearby history