Approximately ninety years ago, at 1445 Fulton Street, The Wilson Theater opened its doors to customers for the first time. The Cornerstone Church took over the establishment in 1997, and plan to commemorate its long history here in Fresno.

The Cornerstone Church Pastor, Jim Franklin, has been a part of The Wilson Church for 19 years and the Cornerstone Church since 1993. Franklin loves being a part of Fresno’s history and preserving it for others to enjoy.

“This will be 19 years that Cornerstone Church has occupied the Wilson Theater.” Franklin said. “We have kept it in the motif as a theater instead of turning it into a church because we can have church anywhere, but this is a part of Fresno’s past and we want to make it a part of Fresno’s future.”

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Pastor Franklin has long been preparing for the 90^th anniversary of the theater and has planned multiple parties and other events for the celebrations.

“The theater is the oldest existing operating theater here in Fresno, built in, again, 1926.” Franklin said. “Tonight we are going to open up the theater to tourists to kind of explain a little bit about the history of the theater, it’s got some unique history to it. And then on Saturday we are going to block off the streets here in front of the Wilson Theater and have a big block party.”

For one of the celebrations, Franklin held a tour on Thursday, Feb. 4. He explained the history and showed visitors around the theater.

“The theater was opened first as a vaudeville theater,” Franklin said. “It didn’t become a motion picture theater until the late 30’s when Fox Theater bought it. This is also the first theater this side of Chicago to be air conditioned.”

Many proclaim that Edwards Theater in River Park had the first stadium styled seats, when in fact The Wilson Theater was the first theater to have stadium styled seats.

Despite the advanced age of the theater, the Wilson has survived with most of its original parts for 90 years.

“The theater is basically the same as it was in 1926 except for this one major change,” Franklin said. “When Fox Theater bought it in the 30’s they changed the marquee and put in the neon marquee and when they did that they took out a mezzanine area and widened the front of it. Other than that the inside of the theater is basically the same as it was in 1926.”

Given its old age and the condition to which has been maintained, the Wilson expects to celebrate a 100th anniversary in the coming decade.

The Wilson Theater is located at 1545 Fulton Street, Fresno, CA 93721. For more information about the theatre, please visit the Cornerstone Church’s website. 

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