537 Commerce Street
Bluefield, WV, 24701
Dubbed “Little New York,” Bluefield, WV was a thriving town huddled around the headquarters of a prominent railroad company. Bluefield is positioned as a stop between a network of major cities and became a trending spot for travelers to take a break in between lengthy train rides. The Granada Theater, opened in 1927, was built to host vaudeville acts and live performers, eventually growing to host notable music stars such as Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. The theater closed in the 1970s after battling against the growing obsoletion of railways, and the consequential decline of population and popularity of Bluefield.
Bluefield struggled to maintain the integrity of its historic buildings as its citizenry declined, and eventually the Granada Theater was only remaining theater of four historic buildings that had previously stood. The loss historic buildings in Bluefield led locals to fear the towns past would be erased, so they decided to take action to preserve Bluefield’s original structures. Money was raised to preserve the theater through raffles, grants, and donations, allowing its restoration to begin in 2012. The theater is now in working order, showing movies with plans to expand to other types of performances in the future as restoration efforts continue.
Find out more about Granada Theater’s efforts to restore and preserve the history of Bluefield at https://www.bluefieldgranada.com/
Sources –
https://www.bluefieldgranada.com/
https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/entries/531
Written by Ethan Wimer, published 2025
West Virginia Historic Theatre Trail 