Tybee Post Theater

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Circa 1930

Tybee Island, Georgia, located off the coast of Savannah, is the first barrier island south of Hilton Head, SC and is a popular location for locals and tourists alike. Formerly known as Savannah Beach, Tybee is home to several historic landmarks including the Tybee Island Light Station and the Ft. Screven Historic District, location of the Tybee Post Theater

[edit] History

Ft. Screven was first commissioned in 1899 and was named for General Joseph Screven, a Revolutionary War hero who was killed in action near Midway, Georgia, in 1778. The Fort served as a valuable part of coastal defense until it was decommissioned in 1947. Fort Screven is most notable for one of its former Commanding Officers, George C. Marshall, later a general famous for the Marshall Plan that rebuilt Western Europe after WWII.

Very little remains of the original Fort buildings due to redevelopment of the area for housing. One of the most important remaining structures is the Post Theater which was constructed in 1930.

Original Interior

It was one of the first theaters in Georgia to have sound features and was the highlight of recreational activities for the Fort. Because the theater was built by the Army, the blueprints for the theater were one of several standardized designs. The Post Theater has a Greek Revival style facade and is similar in design to theaters at Fort Benning, Georgia and Fort Hancock, New Jersey. The interior was originally Streamline Moderne.

After Fort Screven was decommissioned, the Post Theater was sold to private owners and became the Beach Theater. From the 1940s through the 1960s locals and tourists alike enjoyed movies at the Beach. At the end of the sixties her run was over and the theater closed. For a brief time it served as a sail loft and was later gutted in anticipation of development into condominiums. The building then stood vacant and open to the elements for over 20 years. In 2006 the theater was purchased by the Friends of the Tybee Theater (FOTT).

[edit] Moving Forward

FOTT is a 501 C-3 non-profit corporation staffed entirely by volunteers. Through a combination of private and government funds, a restoration plan has been completed. Phase 1 of restoration, a new roof and securing of the building, has been accomplished. FOTT is currently in the initial phases of a capital campaign to raise funds to complete the theater. Once finished, the now named, Tybee Post Theater will be the cultural arts center for Tybee Island and the surrounding community featuring all types of live entertainment, movies and arts activities.

Photos courtesy of the Tybee Island Historical Society