The Hidden History of Alachua’s Old Theatre Park
When I first moved to the City of Alachua and took a walk up Main Street, I came across what felt like a little hideaway… a secret garden of sorts tucked between the historic buildings. With eager curiosity, I walked through the brick arches and took a closer look at the walls. There was clear evidence a building once stood here. This peaceful space wasn’t always a garden.
Once upon a time, it was home to the Alachua Theatre – the one and only movie theatre in town!
A Look Back at Alachua’s One-Room Cinema
Back in its heyday, this one-room cinema played films like The Shanghai Story, The Eternal Sea, and This Island Earth. Ads announcing the evening showing were often featured in the Gainesville Sun. By the 1960s, the theater changed hands a few times, and owners got creative to keep seats filled. Tactics included free soda nights and doubling the number of evening showings. But despite these efforts by new management, the projector finally shut off for good in 1965.
Above: ad for the Alachua Theatre featured in the Gainesville Sun in 1962.1
History of Ownership and Management at Alachua Theatre
Boxoffice Pro, a long-running film industry magazine, kept up with the Alachua Theatre during much of the years of the theatre’s operation. Below is a timeline of documented key events extracted from archived copies of Boxoffice Pro. Like many pieces of history, some details are missing. If you have any information that could help fill in the gaps, I’d greatly appreciate it if you shared. Every detail helps in understanding the full story of this local landmark.
Owners Mr. and Mrs. E.B. Williams of Mayo appoint Mr. and Mrs. Weyman Funderburk to manage the Alachua Theatre.2
James LeLon was appointed as the projectionist for the Alachua Theatre at 19-years-old.3
Albert Land reopened the Alachua Theatre after several months of it being closed.4
Albert Land closed the Alachua Theatre.5
J.D. and Dotty Williams became the new owners and reopened the Alachua Theatre.6
J.D. and Dotty Williams closed the Alachua Theatre.7
From Abandonment to Revival
Years after shutting down, a fire ripped through the abandoned theatre, leaving nothing but a burned-out shell. And that’s how it stayed… until 1999. That’s when a few city employees, along with some dedicated local volunteers, decided to breathe new life into the space. They transformed the ruins into a charming public garden, naming it Old Theatre Park.
Since then, the park has played host to some special moments – serving as a meet-and-greet spot for Santa during holiday events and as a picturesque backdrop for prom photos. In May of 2009, the garden was officially dedicated to Alan Hitchcock and renamed the Alan Hitchcock Theatre Park.8
A Park in Need of a Refresh
Theatre Park has had its fair share of wear and tear over the years, but luckily, it’s also received some well-deserved TLC. A major restoration took place in 2011, and now, the city is gearing up for another refresh in 2025.9,10 At the moment, they’re on the hunt for a company to help “reimagine” the space, including repair of the masonry walls, upgraded lighting, and a little extra magic to keep its charm intact.
The first time I encountered Theatre Park, it instantly became my favorite spot in town – so it’s exciting to see it getting the attention it deserves! Here’s hoping the updates enhance its character rather than change it… because this place just has a special vibe that’s worth preserving.
Should Alachua Bring Back the Big Screen?
Today the City of Alachua has no movie theatre… would you like to see a movie theatre make a comeback in town? I know the future development of Alachua is always a hot topic in the word of mouth Facebook groups, and would love to hear your thoughts on a cinema. My comment section and email are open for discussion.
Click Here for References
- (1962, March 1). Gainesville Sun, p. 5. Available from NewsBank: America’s News – Historical and Current:
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AMNEWS&docref=image/v2%3A14CA26D12FE70B99%40EANX-NB-1804BE9D8175DC7D%402437725-1802C957412A4CE7%404-1802C957412A4CE7%40 ↩︎ - (1956, September 1). Boxoffice, p. 55. Available from Yumpu:
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/27055444/boxoffice-september011956 ↩︎ - (1962, March 5). Boxoffice, p. SE-7. Available from Yumpu:
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/27246025/boxoffice-march051962 ↩︎ - 1964, July 6). Boxoffice, p. SE-6. Available from Yumpu:
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/27486408/boxoffice-july061964 ↩︎ - (1964, October 5). Boxoffice, p. SE-7. Available from Yumpu:
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/27548330/boxoffice-october051964 ↩︎ - (1964, November 23). Boxoffice, p. SE-4. Available from Yumpu:
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/27548589/boxoffice-november231964 ↩︎ - (1965, January 4). Boxoffice, p. SE-3. Available from Yumpu:
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/27548812/boxoffice-january041965 ↩︎ - (2009, May 13). Around the region: Community Leader to be Celebrated. The Gainesville Sun. https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/local/2009/05/13/around-the-region-may-13-2009/31705893007/ ↩︎
- Morell, Thomas. (2011, 29 May). Alachua’s Old Theatre Park repairs upped to $40,603. Available from Alachua County Today:
https://www.alachuacountytoday.com/component/content/archive ↩︎ - City of Alachua Community Redevelopment Agency. (2024, 06 May). Alan Hitchcock Theatre Park Refresh Project.
https://alachuafl.portal.civicclerk.com/event/608/files/report/210 ↩︎
