Chattooga County Historical Society to Host Meeting on Tooga Theater

THE TOOGA a history

In order to tell The Tooga Theater’s history, we must first start with the Royal Theater, which was built in 1927 at the northeast corner of Commerce Street and Georgia Avenue. C.W. Maxey and his sister, Mrs. L. C. Turner, were the owners.

Two men from Ellijay (Tankersley & Hampton) built the Tooga while operating the Royal in 1947. Once the theater was opened, the Royal Theater was history.

In the mid-1950’s The Tooga was bought by the manager, Luther C. Smith, and Daniel L. McWhorter. Over the years the theater has served as a movie theater, a community center, an auditorium, and a community theater.

When the Shriners owned The Tooga, it was named the Dandee Denson Auditorium in honor of Pete Denson’s late son, Dandee.

Then, in 2015, the county bought the Theater. The most recent use of the Theater was Chattooga Curtain Call’s production of The Lion King, Jr. in 2019.

The county purchased the Theater in 2015 as a condemnation. The county purchased the Theater for $125,000.00 from the Shriners.

Previous articles:

State Rep. Eddie Lumsden Announces Funding for Tooga Theater