It first opened its doors on January 6th, 1922. The opening night performance in January 1922 included a movie, live theatre performance and several vaudeville acts. On January 5th, 1922, the eve of the theater’s opening, the DeLand Daily News declared the Athens to be “Florida’s Handsomest Theatre” and “a gem of architecture”. Constructed primarily by DeLand craftsmen and laborers, the facility embodied the very best in design, construction, decoration and equipment. The theatre’s name was derived from the vision of DeLand’s founder, Henry DeLand, who sought to create a city that would be the “Athens of Florida”. During the Depression, “the Athens Theatre was the only entertainment people could afford”, recounted DeLand historian Bill Dreggors. “The DeLand Amusement Corporation charged only nine cents (for children) because if it was a dime they’d have to pay the state entertainment tax”, he said. Later, promotions with RC Cola allowed patrons to enter free with six RC bottle caps. Originally a vaudeville house and silent movie palace, the Athens Theatre featured live stage shows by touring performers, as well as films of the day that were often accompanied by the theatre’s Wurlitzer Pipe Organ.
