Barter Theatre

Washington County · dedicated 1998 · Rte. 11 (West Main Street), at Barter Theatre, Abingdon

The Barter Theatre building was constructed about 1830 as a church, which was remodeled several times. Among the oldest theaters in America, the building hosted its first performance in 1876. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, Robert Porterfield, an enterprising actor and Washington County native, created the Barter Theatre and proposed exchanging "ham for Hamlet." The theater opened its doors on 10 June 1933; admission was "35 cents or the equivalent in victuals" to feed the actors. Many stage and screen actors, designers, and playwrights have polished their craft here. In 1946, the Barter Theatre was designated the State Theatre of Virginia.

Barry Lawrence Ruderman Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Example

under a mile from where William Gabby lived in the 1760s

what this marker records spans 1777 to 1789, overlapping William Gabby's years here

From one family's 77-marker roster

Upload your family tree and TreeAlive finds the markers near where your own ancestors lived.

See your family's markers

Start with a tree file, a FamilySearch sign in, or a WikiTree ID.

Report a problem with this page

The marker isn't at this spotOur pin may be off. If you know where it stands, tell us.I couldn't find the markerWe record what the source recorded. We have not been to look.The sign reads differentlyThat would be an error, and we can pass it to the program.The historical map looks wrongThe period map behind the pin, not the marker itself.Something else

We may pass what you report to the state's marker program. Please don't include personal details.

Marker program managed by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.

More markers nearby

Stonewall Jackson Female Instituteunder 1 mi
Governor John B. Floydunder 1 mi
Martha Washington Collegeunder 1 mi
Abingdonunder 1 mi