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(HABS)
The crossroads town of Church Hill takes its name from the colonial parish of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church (1729; 403 Main Street). It was not until the mid-nineteenth century that Church Hill began to grow as a commercial center for the surrounding agricultural communities. The current town hall (c. 1875; 324 Main) is a fine example of a combination residential/commercial building, with intact storefront windows and Eastlake decorative details. However, the most unusual survivor here is the Church Hill Theatre, built as a community hall in 1929 and used as a movie theater starting in late 1935. In addition to the meeting and theater spaces, the building contained town offices, a kitchen for community dinners, and a small retail store. After a fire in 1944, the restrained Art Deco marquee, box office, doors, and interior details were added, making this a rare example of Art Deco in a largely rural county. A non-profit arts organization acquired the theater after it closed in the early 1980s and continues to manage it as a performing arts and educational venue.