The Port Gamble Theater is investing to bring back cinema to the historic Edwardian Era venue for the first time since 1956.

The project budget is $35,000 and more than $15,000 has already been raised, a PGT news release states. A radio script from 1938 highlighted that the town featured all the latest run films on Friday nights and other entertainment on Saturdays. That continued until 1956 when the last film and newsreel were played, and the doors closed for motion pictures.

The venue was revived for live theater in 2011, and PGT is now investing in returning vintage cinema to the community. “Port Gamble, founded in 1853, is full of life and dripping with history,” theater technical director Brad Camp said. “We want to help bring back a big part of this community focal point with classic films and vintage cinema, just like it was enjoyed back in the day.”

Scott Snively, PGT’s artistic director, said hosting a preview night recently for the Port Townsend Film Festival “lit a figurative fire in the community conversation that returning cinema to this space was highly desired and welcome.”

The building was constructed in 1906 and also houses the post office, one of the oldest of its kind in the state.

“We have always wanted to bring back cinema ever since we cracked open the old projection room door in 2011 and saw a newsreel from 1956 still looped in the projector and a Lucky Strike (cigarette) sitting in the ashtray undisturbed for decades,” Camp said.