The State Theatre

322 Main Street

"Woodland's finest and most glamorous movie theater, the State, opened to much fanfare on June 26, 1937." "The exterior architecture was clean, uncluttered Streamline Moderne with neon banding covering the canopied entrance. Rising above the canopy as a beacon to moviegoers stood a large bow-shaped marquee and a very tall neon-filled "State" sign with cascading neon bands." "In 1966, twenty-nine years after opening, the grand neon tower and marquee that had so charmed Woodlanders of all ages was reluctantly take down by the State Theatre owner, Richard Mann, under orders of the State Division of Highways (since renamed Caltrans). Caltrans demanded that any "advertisement" that encroached on its expanded right-of-way, after a section of Main Street was widened from two to four lanes, must be taken down at the owner's expense. Thus, the State's facade was flattened to the appearance we see today."

Quotes taken from Explore Historic Woodland by a project team headed by project manager & principal researcher Ron Pinegar