History :
As a crown jewel of Hattiesburg and part of the Saenger Amusement Company, the 1000-seat movie palace was one of 7 Saenger Theatres built and operated throughout the South by the Saenger brothers, Abe and Julian. Designed by New Orleans architect Emile Weile, the Saenger Theater is one of Mississippi's 2 examples of the movie-palace type.
The Saenger Theater has characteristics typical of the Neo-Classical Revival Style and Art Deco Style, including Mayan-inspired elements. Built in 1929, the Saenger was built as a venue to show silent movies. It was constructed at a time when theaters were among the first public structures to benefit from "air conditioning" systems. The theatre boasts a 778-pipe Robert Morton Pipe Organ which was designed specifically for the Saenger's acoustics. It is one of the only Robert Morton organs in the United States still in its original position.
Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and renovated in 2000, the Hattiesburg Saenger Theatre sits polished and ready to host a number of cultural events.
The Saenger Theatre opened on Thanksgiving Day, 1929.
