Lost theater, Detroit, 1911 to 2024
National Theatre
Demolished in 2024
- Opened
- 1911
- Style
- Baroque-Beaux Arts
- Torn down
- 2024
Designed by Albert Kahn and Ernest Wilby
The National Theatre stood in Detroit from 1911 until 2024. Here is what it was, who made it and where to find the spot today.
Then and now
What stands there now
A construction site
Detroit's National Theatre, designed by Albert Kahn and Ernest Wilby, stood on this spot for 113 years. It came down 2 years ago. Today the spot is a construction site.
- 1911 Opens National Theatre
- 1975 Closes National Theatre
- 2024 Comes down National Theatre
- 2026 Today Construction site
How we know what stands there
- OpenStreetMap construction site at the map point
- County parcel records VACANT COMMERCIAL
Checked October 25, 2026. We never guess: a site no source speaks for shows no answer.
What is there now
A construction site
- Today Source: OpenStreetMap and County parcel records
- National Theatre came down Source: Historic Detroit
We checked Wikidata, Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Rebuild Detroit's landmark records and the county parcel records on October 25, 2026.
The story
In 1911, in the years Detroit became the Motor City and built like it meant to stay on top, the National Theatre went up.
Albert Kahn and Ernest Wilby drew the plans, in the Baroque-Beaux Arts style.
It is gone now, demolished in 2024, and the map pin below marks where it stood.
Timeline
- 1911 Built Designed by Albert Kahn and Ernest Wilby
- 1975 Closed
- 2024 Demolished
- 2026 Today 2 years since it came down
Where it is
118 Monroe St.
On this map
- 1 National Theatre This place
- 2 Palace Theatre 40 ft
- 3 Pochelon Building 130 ft
- 4 St. John’s German Evangelical Church 150 ft
- 5 Liberty Theatre 160 ft
- 6 Monroe Avenue Commercial Buildings 160 ft
- 7 Hilsendegen Block 200 ft
- 8 Crowley's Department Store 200 ft
- 9 Water Board Building 220 ft
Street map from OpenStreetMap contributors
Who made it
Architect
Albert KahnAmerican architect, 1869 to 1942. Designed the General Motors Building (1922) and 114 more in Metro Detroit
Also by Albert Kahn
Architect
Ernest WilbyArchitect, 1869 to 1957. Designed the National Theatre (1911) and 3 more in Metro Detroit
Also by Ernest Wilby
- Owen Building 1907
- Detroit Trust Co. Building 1915
- Lincoln Hotel 1917
More from Detroit in the 1910s
-
Cathedral Church of St. Paul
House of worship, built 1911, Neo-Gothic, by Ralph Adams Cram
Photo: Andrew Jameson at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
7300 Woodward
Building, built 1910, by Albert Kahn
Photo: Jet Lowe, Historic American Buildings Survey, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
-
![Broadway Market, [Edw. Neumann, Broadway Market, Detroit, Mich.]](https://rebuilddetroit.com/wp-content/uploads/rd-photos/landmarks/landmark-4310-2194-thumb-42e52f2f8b.jpg)
Broadway Market
Building, built 1912, Beaux Arts, by Harry C. Stevens, demolished 1967
Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
-
Dreamtroit (Warren Motor Car Co.)
Building, built 1910, Commercial Style, by Rogers & MacFarlane
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
![Capitol Park Building, [Griswold Street from Capitol Park, Detroit, Mich.]](https://rebuilddetroit.com/wp-content/uploads/rd-photos/landmarks/landmark-4329-2213-thumb-3f981d9a17.jpg)
Capitol Park Building
Building, built 1913, by Leonard B. Willeke
Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
-
![Edelweiss Cafe, [Edelweiss Cafe, Detroit, Mich.]](https://rebuilddetroit.com/wp-content/uploads/rd-photos/landmarks/landmark-4440-2281-thumb-050a05b82b.jpg)
Edelweiss Cafe
Building, built 1913, Dutch Colonial, by Mildner & Eisen, demolished 1949
Photo: Detroit Publishing Company, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
Around the block
- Palace Theatre Theater, built 1914, Italian Renaissance, by C. Howard Crane, demolished 1953 40 ft
- Pochelon Building Building, built 1923, Neoclassical, by Mildner & Eisen, demolished 130 ft
- St. John’s German Evangelical Church House of worship, built 1853, demolished 1878 150 ft
- Liberty Theatre Theater, built 1871, by C. Howard Crane, demolished 1926 160 ft
-
Monroe Avenue Commercial Buildings
Historic district, demolished
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
160 ft
- Hilsendegen Block Building, built 1867, Italianate, by Peter Dederichs, demolished 1953 200 ft
- Crowley's Department Store Building, built 1906, Beaux Arts, by Field, Hinchman & Smith, demolished 1977 200 ft
-
Water Board Building
Building, built 1928, Art Moderne, by Louis Kamper
Photo: Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
220 ft
Photo credits
Every photo on this page is used under its license, named here with its author and a link to the original.
- The National Theatre at 118 Monroe, Detroit, Michigan. Historic district contributing property Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Sources
Facts only, gathered from these sources. The story above is written by Rebuild Detroit. Every photo names its author and license where it appears.