Temple Theatre: Hidden secrets inside a century-old vaudeville house in Sanford
If you've ever seen a production in the restored Temple Theatre in downtown Sanford, you've walked past a few hidden rooms and secret remnants from roughly a century ago - without even realizing it.
Posted — UpdatedEver since it was first built in 1925 as a vaudeville house, the theatre has been the beating artistic heart of downtown Sanford.
Its proximity to the railroad house put the small community of Sanford on the map for New York-based vaudeville troupes that even larger cities in North Carolina didn't have access to.
"Troops from Fort Bragg would often hop on the train to day trip to the theatre, where they could take in a live burlesque act," said Peggy Taphorn, the Temple Theatre's producing artistic director, who has worked there for more than a decade.
However, the golden days ended in the 1960s, when mega-theaters and malls ushered in a new era – bringing about the death of downtowns around the country.
Like many small theaters, including the similarly iconic Cary Theater in downtown Cary, the building was converted into a nearly unrecognizable afterlife as a furniture store and men's clothing store.
Then, ultimately, the building became abandoned and fell into disrepair.
But today, hidden remnants of the glory days of vaudeville are still hidden in the Temple Theatre – if you know where to look.
Raccoons and rats: Renovating the abandoned Temple Theatre
When renovations began in the 1980s, the theatre had been vacant for a couple of decades.
"It was really run down," said Taphorn. "It was full of raccoons, rats, nests, wildlife."
During renovations, great pains were taken to preserve parts of the original architecture.
The classic Art Deco architecture and stone-cut detailing still decorate the front wall.
The brightly-colored tile designs on the entryway floor are also original. Walking beneath the metal marquis and dazzling, original chandelier feels like stepping into the roaring 1920s.
The original tin ceilings, with intricate flourishes and design work, still fly high above the audience seating.
"Before we had modern sound equipment, those tin ceilings allowed actors' voices to carry across the entire room without the use of a microphone," said Taphorn. "I could speak at normal volume on stage, and the acoustics are so good, you'd be able to hear me all the way on the balcony."
That same style of tin ceiling can be seen next door in the long-abandoned Masonic Temple, for which the Temple Theatre takes its name.
Secret rooms and hidden mysteries behind the walls
Just like any old theatre, the Temple is full of secret trap doors, mysteries and even ghost stories.
"This looks like an A/C wall grate, but it actually leads to a hidden bathroom," said Taphorn.
Prying the metal grate away from the wall reveals a secret room, where years of dust cover old tile floors where the women's restroom once was.
"We're created larger bathrooms since then," said Taphorn.
Taphorn's office is nextdoor, in a building that went up long after the Temple Theatre. During renovations to her office, workers revealed a piece of hidden history: The old Coca-Cola mural painted on the external wall of the threatre.
That external wall had been covered up when newer buildings were constructed around it. Taphorn requested they leave the brick mural visible. Only a small piece of it is visible today.
"The theatre was owned by Robert Ingram, who was also the owner of Sanford Coca-Cola Bottling," said Taphorn.
Another remnant from the past is visible on the upper balcony in the audience seating.
"This is the original banister," said Taphorn. "If you look closely, you can see the wood is warped."
The black wooden banister waves up and down like a ripple in the water – decades of indentations created when audience members leaned on their elbows to watch shows.
Those warps are like a fossil record of generations of the theatre's guests.
The theatre's employees have also discovered imprints hidden beneath layers of paint, where some of the original Art Deco designs were covered during renovations.
"We plan to uncover these old designs and paint them so they will stand out once again," said Gavan Pamer, associate artistic director.
Downtown Sanford's heart beating once again
When a building has changed roles so many times over the course of a century, it's not surprising multiple renovations would leave secret compartments and hidden doors. One crawl space in the dressing room revealed a manual from 1971.
"We offer kid's shows all summer," said Taphorn.
The neighboring historic train depot has become a lush green park with a unique Art Deco Railroad House and plenty of picnic space.
Even the abandoned Masonic Temple is being renovated into modern apartments – and possibly an underground pub or shopping locale.
In short, downtown Sanford is growing into a tribute to historic sites with modern amenities.
And sitting right in the middle of all of this hustle and bustle is the Temple Theatre – just like it has been for the past century.
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