History of the Capitol Theatre

At that point, the Chatham Capitol Theatre operated mostly as a cinema, but because of its versatility, it could also host live entertainment. Some of the performers of the day included Teresa Stratas, Buddy Rich, Jim Reeves, and the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra.

In 1975 a centre wall was erected and two cinema screens were installed with seating capacity of 472 on each side. In May 1993 the theatre closed its doors and later that year the City purchased the property with the intention of creating another downtown parking lot. In November 1994 the Chatham Capitol Theatre Coalition made a proposal to save the theatre and restore it as an entertainment venue.

In December 1996 the Chatham Capitol Theatre Association, a not-for-profit organization, purchased the property form the City and launched their fundraising campaign to restore/recontruct the theatre.

In the restoration process the theatre has been assisted by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada Job Creation Program grants. Over 150 individuals had been trained in both construction and administrative duties and 80% have gone on to gainful employment in the community with these new skills.

All of the original decorative work has been preserved (in some manner) with many more decorative pieces created during the restoration of the theatre. Restoration was completed in 2014.