Since Vancouverites sat down together to watch a filming of Fitzsimmons and Corbel in 1897, movies have held an important role as both entertainment and community connector

Clark County Historical Museum’s 2022 Speaker Series continues on Thu., August 4, with “Vancouver Goes to the Movies” presented by historian and Historic Preservation Commission hair, Andy Gregg. The event will occur in-person at the Clark County Historical Museum. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the event begins at 7 p.m.

Since Vancouverites sat down together to watch a filming of Fitzsimmons and Corbel in 1897, movies have held an important role as both entertainment and community connector. From the opening of the Palace Theater in 1909 to the Kiggins Theatre today, the big screen continues to draw people from all backgrounds together for a singularly solitary and shared experience unmatched by other forms of media. Drawing on his research into the golden age of movie theaters in Vancouver, Gregg explores Vancouver’s movie-going history with a look back at the rise and fall of the single screen theater as well the ways in which movies helped bridge social and racial divides.

Andrew Gregg is a Vancouver native who saw his first big-screen movie at the Kiggins Theatre in 1961. After a K-12 education in Vancouver Public Schools, Gregg graduated from Willamette University, attended Gonzaga University School of Law, and completed a master’s degree in public history at Washington State University. A National Board Certified teacher, Gregg has served as Clark County Arts Commission’s chair, and is currently a Clark County Historic Preservation Commissioner. Since 1973, Gregg has written extensively about his hometown.

The CCHM Speaker Series is sponsored by the Clark County Historic Preservation Commission and Versa Events (formerly Wager Audio). General admission is $5; seniors and students are $4; children under 18 are $3; and the evening is free for CCHM members, veterans, and active-duty military personnel.

Attendees are encouraged to arrive early, as seating is limited and available on a first-come-first-served basis.

For more information, contact the museum at (360) 993-5679 or outreach@cchmuseum.org.

Information provided by Clark County Historical Museum.