Free movies with historical aspects will be shown in a theatre with its own unique history

Here is the final list of movies showing this week and when by the City of Asheboro as a free moviefest to recap key moments and feelings involving American history as portrayed via Hollywood movies, which have made up a big part of a lot of our lives.

There has been a little bit of confusion  because one movie — Top Gun — had to be dropped as it was no longer available so it was replaced on the schedule by Captain America: The First Avenger.

Here is the final lineup, minus the movie which was shown on Monday, June 29, “Lincoln”:

■ Wednesday, July 1

Pearl Harbor at 7 p.m.

■ Thursday, July 2

Selma at 7 p.m.

■ Friday, July 3

A League of Their Own at 1 p.m. 

Rocky IV at 7 p.m.

■ Saturday, July 4

National Treasure at 10 a.m.

Captain America: The First Avenger at 1 p.m.

Jaws at 7 p.m.

You can find brief bios of each movie in the printed Hub's calendar on page 6A.

All of the movies are showing at the nearly century-old Sunset Theatre at 234 Sunset Avenue in downtown Asheboro and are free to attend. Concessions will be available for purchase.

The movie house itself has a long and somewhat typical history of its own, with multiple owners and purposes before being restored to the glory it once held. A description of that history can be found on the City of Asheboro’s website; here is a recap.

The movie house’s story began in 1929 when local businessman Kirby Cox started construction on it. Sunset opened on March 6, 1930, and was the first structure built in Asheboro for the sole purpose of showing movies.

It was built in the Spanish style that was very popular in Hollywood at that time, with beamed ceilings, stucco walls and an awning with a tile roof. 

A marquee was added in the early 1930s. A second marquee replace the first in the early 1940s. 

The theater continued as a first run facility until the early 1970s. It then turned into a second run theater named “The Flick” for a short time before being renamed Sunset Theater.

The facility was shut down as a movie theater in 1981. Area Developer Jeff Schwarz purchased the facility in 1983 and rented the building out for a variety of events including concerts and church services. In 2000, the George Washington Carver Community Enrichment Center purchased the facility and made an effort to run the facility as a performing arts center. The City of Asheboro purchased the facility in December of 2005.

The City of Asheboro acquired the theater in 2005 and invested approximately $1 million to stabilize the building, replace the roof, acquire space for expansion and purchase a new marquee. As a result of a successful and ongoing capital campaign, extensive renovations were completed in the summer of 2013. 

Enhancements included:

■ An expanded lobby and concession area.

■ Modern handicapped-accessible restrooms.

■ Two new multipurpose rooms for rehearsals and storage.

In addition, new sound and lighting systems — required for a wider variety of live events — were installed.