Mars Theatre

Mars’ large cinema screen. In 1945, the Mars Theatre opened its doors to the bustling town of Springfield, Georgia. The theatre brought culture and excitement to the downtown area, beckoning visitors with its lively atmosphere, daily movie screenings, and state-of-the-art projection system. For the next twelve years, the theatre delighted audiences with Westerns starring Roy Rogers, classics such as Gone With the Wind, and national news reels. However, with the development of television, the Mars began to suffer severe audience decline, ultimately leading to its closure in 1957. The theatre remained abandoned in the years following, leaving only a memory of its short, but vibrant past. The doors opened in the 70s, when the building reopened as an office space. The theatre was refurbished at this time and owners discarded many of the Mars’ remaining architectural elements. The building served several purposes until the mid-1990s, when The Springfield Revitalization Corporation—or the SRC—adopted the Mars Theatre as its newest project.