Turnage Theatre

The Turnage Theatre is a historic circa 1916 theater building in Washington, North Carolina. It originally had a shoe store on its ground floor and a vaudeville theater upstairs. Later a movie theater was added. It is located at 150 West Main Street in the Washington Historic District. First a vaudeville theater was built on the second floor and in 1928 a theater for "talkies" was constructed behind it.

Raleigh based WRAL-TV states: "The importance of the Historic Turnage Theatre and its preservation is paramount to both the local community and North Carolina at large. A North Carolina designated historic site and a contributing structure to the Historic District of Washington, the Historic Turnage Theatre is a 32,000-square-foot building that houses two theaters." Beth Strange is its Executive Director.

Established as a vaudeville theater, it was one the first movie theatres in the eastern part of the state. Restored in the 1990s, it is now home to Arts of the Pamlico.

The theater was named for its owner, C. A. Turnage. Various events are held at the theater. East Carolina University utilizes the theater for music and art events. An oral history included recollection of George Diamond's soda shop beneath the theater.

Turnage Incorporated it as New Theatre Inc. It appears in 1922 state department of revenue report.

It was succeeded by the Cinema III at Washington Square Mall in 1976. In 1994, "adaptive rehabilitation" of the theater building was planned. It features on a Ghost Walk history tour.