The 7th Street Theatre in Hoquiam was built in 1928 at a cost of $175,000.  It was a dream envisioned by Olaf T. Taylor, who dubbed it “Hoquiam’s theatre beautiful”.  The 1,022 seat 7th St. Theatre was designed to not only host vaudeville acts, but was also the first theatre in Washington to be able to show the new “talkies”.  It was the first theatre in the Northwest, and the last example, of an atmospheric theatre, that gives patrons the feeling they are sitting in an outdoor Spanish garden.  The curved ceiling is painted to simulate the evening sky, complete with twinkling lights. The auditorium, designed to be acoustically perfect, shimmers with balconies, iron grilled windows, spiral columns, arched doorways, plaster urns, red tiles atop courtyard walls, with ivy and poplar trees.         

Olaf T.  Taylor, with financial backing of Hoquiam businessman Ed Dolan, copied the design of atmospheric theatres back East and in the South by John Eberson.  Architect Edward St. John Griffith of the Seattle firm Huntington & Torbitt brought the dream to a reality.  The theatre opened its doors on Tuesday, July 10th, 1928, and in the early years hosted Will Rogers rope tricks, Leontyne Price singing, Paul Robeson acting, the first talking pictures, concerts, plays, prizefights and wrestling matches. The 7th Street Theatre has entertained generations of Harborites.

The 7th Street Theatre was an entertainment landmark for many years after 1928, but the advent of television finally killed it off.  In 1957, the theatre was closed, except for special events like Grays Harbor Community Concerts.  An attempted revival of movies took place in the 1960s, when Ed Dolan’s daughter leased it to Grays Harbor Theatre, Inc, but it was not successful.  

In 1975, the Hoquiam City Council took an option to buy the theatre for $51,600, with the idea of creating a community center.  A few months later, some changed their minds and the deal was rejected.  A majority of council members cited inadequate heating, falling plaster, and general deterioration as reasons for believing the theatre would be a gigantic white elephant. 

In 1978 local residents Robert and Cheryl Serredell, 1969 graduates of Weatherwax High School in Aberdeen, purchased  the 50-year-old the theatre from Ed Dolan’s daughter, Grace Dolan Cain of Seattle.  Their first restoration project was repairing and remodeling the dressing rooms so that they could live at the theatre, since they had sold their home to finance the purchase.  The Serredells lived at the theatre and began the daunting task of restoration and repairs.  While holding down their day jobs, they continued to operate the theatre, including live performances and movies, until the early 1980s.

In 1986, local businessman Ed Bowers donated $103,000 to the Grays Harbor Community Concert Association, allowing them to purchase the theatre.  The nonprofit group, Friends of the 7th Street Theatre, was formed and this group of hardworking volunteers (in conjunction with the Community Concert Association) was dedicated to bringing the theatre back to the way it looked in 1928. In 1987 they were successful in getting the 7th Street Theatre listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Massive fundraising efforts were underway, and during the 1990s several major remodeling and restoration projects were completed including tenant space remodeling, handicap restroom and access, HVAC upgrades, a second access stairway to the dressing rooms, electrical upgrades and the back parking lot was paved.  Carpeting and dressing room improvements were completed in 2000.  In 2002 a movie projector was purchased, and the current classic movie series followed in 2003.   

In 2002 the Grays Harbor Community Concert Association and Friends of the 7th Street groups combined, forming the present 7th Street Theatre Association. 

The entire roof was replaced in 2003, and three of the exterior walls were sealed and repainted.  The dressing rooms were entirely replastered and repainted in 2005 and the windows were replaced.  In 2006 the theatre installed a state-of-the-art sound system. 

With the help of many supporters and volunteers, the 7th Street Theatre Association continues the restoration mission with plans to replace the backstage rigging, curtains, restore the ceiling and recessed star lighting, and refurbish the theatre seating.   

The 7th Street Theatre Association produces an annual concert series and a classic movie series.  The 7th Street Kids have produced an annual musical theatre at the theatre since 1992.  The 7th Street Kids program involves approximately 50 children each year.  Additionally, the Kids have added weeklong theatre-mini camps, involving an additional 50-55 children.   The Hoquiam School District band and choirs, with over 400 schoolchildren participating, perform their concerts at the theatre, including an annual Veterans’ Day performance.  The Miss Grays Harbor/Pacific Coast Pageant recently returned to the 7th Street with a sold-out performance in 2006.  The theatre also hosts a variety of musical performances and dance recitals and is regularly rented by outside groups.