Historic Lincoln Theater Reopens in Baton Rouge
Some buildings are just buildings. Others hold a whole neighborhood's memories. The historic Lincoln Theater on Myrtle Walk Street in Old South Baton Rouge is one of those. After years of fundraising and renovation, its doors are open again, with a grand opening set for this month and its first big show arriving in December. Here's the quick version in my latest video, and the full story is below.
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What happened at the Lincoln Theater
On Thursday, Oct. 29, the Louisiana Black History Hall of Fame hosted a ribbon cutting and community open house at the Lincoln Theater, 1305 Myrtle Walk Street, marking the theater's 77th anniversary. According to WBRZ, it was the first time in decades that people were welcomed inside.
The theater first opened in 1949. During segregation it welcomed Black performers and audiences when few venues in Baton Rouge would. Over the years its stage hosted names like James Brown, Louis Armstrong and Cab Calloway (WBRZ), along with Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald (The Advocate). It also served as a meeting place during the 1953 Baton Rouge bus boycott, a key moment in civil rights history.
The theater closed in the 1980s and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Louisiana Black History Hall of Fame bought the vacant building and has spent more than a decade bringing it back. One board member described the restoration as a decade-long process, and the team often had to work with a little funding at a time.
The key numbers
1949: the year the Lincoln Theater first opened
77th: the anniversary celebrated at the Oct. 29 ribbon cutting
More than $4 million: the total cost of the project, according to The Advocate, including $760,000 from the city-parish Office of Community Development
Two stories: the size of the new museum addition built onto the original theater
Six feet: how much the stage was expanded
Funding came from city-parish grants, state allocations and private donors. Crews replaced the roof, updated the electrical and plumbing systems, added a sprinkler system, made the original theater ADA compliant and expanded the stage with new entrances.
What's inside now
The renovated building is home to the new Louisiana Black History Hall of Fame Museum and Cultural Center, which is now complete. The Advocate reports the museum includes exhibits on government and politics, religion, education, and arts and entertainment. The theater itself is set up as a performance venue for concerts and productions.
The first production, Mahalia: A Gospel Musical, is scheduled to debut in December, and the official grand opening is planned for this month. Lincoln Theater board member Michael McClanahan told WBRZ the Lincoln is the starting point, with other projects to be built around it.
Why it matters for Baton Rouge
As a Realtor, I spend a lot of time talking with people about what makes a place feel like home. Usually it's not just square footage or a new kitchen. It's the history, the culture and the gathering places that give a city its personality. The Lincoln Theater is a big piece of Baton Rouge's story, and having it open again gives residents and visitors one more reason to spend time in Old South Baton Rouge.
Restoration projects like this also show what can happen when local groups, the city-parish, the state and private donors all pull in the same direction. The Advocate notes the nearby Hotel Lincoln has also been under renovation as a mixed-use development with apartments and retail space, so this is a corner of town worth keeping an eye on.
What to watch next
The official grand opening date for the Lincoln Theater this month
Tickets and showtimes for Mahalia: A Gospel Musical in December
Updates on the other projects board members say will be built around the theater
I'll keep you posted as more details come out.
Stay in the loop
Want more local news like this? Comment "Report" on my video, or reach out to me directly, and I'll add you to my weekly newsletter that dives deeper into what's happening around Baton Rouge and Ascension Parish.
Brian Mackey, Realtor with Pivot Realty
