Liberty Theatre, Mediterranean Revival theater in Astoria, United States.
Liberty Theatre is a vaudeville and movie theater in the Astor Building at 1203 Commercial Street, Astoria. Its Italian Renaissance interior includes an auditorium with twelve oil-on-canvas murals of Venetian canal scenes by local artist Joseph Knowles.
The theater opened in 1925 as the first entertainment venue rebuilt following the devastating city fire of 1922. This reopening symbolized community resilience and optimism about Astoria's recovery.
The building was designed by Portland architects Bennes and Herzog as part of a regional theater chain spanning the Pacific Northwest. Inside, Italian Renaissance design elements create an immersive environment that reflects early 20th-century entertainment ideals.
The theater occupies the Astor Building at 1203 Commercial Street in downtown Astoria, and the entrance fronts the Commercial Street sidewalk. The auditorium is on the upper level of the commercial building, reached from the street-level lobby. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places under the Astor Building name, so look for that name on heritage markers.
Local artist Joseph Knowles personally created the oil-on-canvas murals that adorn the auditorium walls. His hand-painted work from the 1920s represents a direct artistic investment in the building's aesthetic character.
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