New Bern Civic Theatre

Construction began on the Athens Theatre at 412 Pollock Street in 1910. The doors opened April 11, 1911. Designed by architect Herbert W. Simpson, the Athens Theatre was a gala theatre for silent movies, Vaudeville, traveling theatre troupes and locally produced live productions.

It was regarded as one of the most beautiful and best equipped theatres in the area. A local newspaper article described The Athens as having gas-electric lights, fans to cool the patrons, elaborate interior decorations of forest green colors, velvet upholstery, ornate woodwork, chandeliers, gold gilded theatre boxes, modern dressing rooms and many other features. The original curtain was painted with the chariot race scene from Ben Hur. New Bern enthusiasts of that day once called New Bern "The Athens of North Carolina" because of its Greek revival architecture and that is where the Theatre probably got this name.