Mayfair Theatre ~ 212-216 Santa Monica Blvd. ~ Santa Monica
How sad that this landmark has been boarded up since the Northridge Earthquake. Legend had it that the Majestic Theatre, originally built in 1911, was the oldest legitimate theater operating in Los Angeles. Believed to be constructed as an opera house, the Majestic was built in 1911 by Charles Tegner, another founding father of Santa Monica. The architect Henry C. Hollwedel, designed the elaborate façade of baroque swirls and inset shields. The theater, now known as the Mayfair was restored in 1973 and again in 1988.