GOLDSBORO — Years of tradition and history went up in smoke early Saturday morning in Goldsboro when fire swept through the Paramount Theater.

Firefighters managed to protect the surrounding buildings, but they were not able to save the historic theater.

It was the dramatic finale no one in Goldsboro wanted to see. The Paramount Theater's last show brought the house down. Al King, Goldsboro's mayor, said, "It's indescribable right now. This was one of the most significant historical buildings we have in our city. The fact that it appears to be gone is a tremendous loss."

The theater, built in 1882, was originally an armory and became the Paramount in the 1920's. It had been entertaining Wayne County ever since. The city of Goldsboro bought the building in 1993, and just last Tuesday, the city agreed to spend $65,000 to repair the exterior.

"My plan was to make this a showplace for our city, and I was really sick when I the call and was told it was burning. When I came to see it, I felt even worse," King said.