Worthington Hall, now known as the Shawnee Playhouse, was an historic, American

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

that was located in Smithfield Township,

Monroe County, Pennsylvania Monroe County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in Northeastern Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 168,327. Its county seat is Stroudsburg. The county was formed from sections of Northampton ...

. It was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1978, but was delisted in 1986 after being demolished following a fire on June 24, 1985 that was caused by arson. It has since been rebuilt and now serves as a public entertainment venue.

History and architectural features

Built in 1904 as a gift to residents of the village of Shawnee, Pennsylvania,Shawnee Playhouse History & Mission
/ref> Worthington Hall was incorporated in June of that year by the Monroe County Court. Its construction was funded by a $50,000 grant provided by C.C. Worthington, a New York resident and wealthy manufacturer of pumps. It was initially used as a public hall.$50,000 Gift for Village
" Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'', June 5, 1904, p. 4 (subscription required). It was added to the

in 1978. It was delisted in 1986 after being demolished following a fire—caused by arson—on June 24, 1985. With help from the people of Shawnee on Delaware, the Seabees, the Hughes Foundation, the

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...

The National Trust The National Trust, formally the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there is a separate and ...

, a

Community Development Block Grant The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), one of the longest-running programs of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, funds local community development activities with the stated goal of providing affordable housing, anti-po ...

, and generous donations from many individuals and friends, the playhouse was rebuilt.

References

External links

Shawnee Playhouse
- official site {{National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Theatres on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Theatres completed in 1904 Buildings and structures in Monroe County, Pennsylvania Tourist attractions in Monroe County, Pennsylvania National Register of Historic Places in Monroe County, Pennsylvania Former National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania