2Titles
Explore publications and collections from the past.
Community History Archive Partner
Wayside Theater
Winchester, Virginia
Explore this community history collection to discover the people, places, organizations, and events of Winchester.
1964 to 1978Dates represented
See individual titles for available dates.
2,217Archive pages
Historical pages reported for this collection.
Explore local history
Discover the people, places, and stories of Winchester, Virginia.
Get to know Winchester, Virginia in earlier years through scrapbooks, clippings, and articles shared in the Wayside Theater's digital archive. The archive includes Wayside Theater Scrapbook and Wayside Theatre Scrapbooks, with material from 1964 to 1978.
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Selected titles
A selection from Wayside Theater: “Wayside Theater Scrapbook” and “Wayside Theatre Scrapbooks”.
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Free and open access
No subscription or payment required.
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Ways to explore
The past of Winchester can be approached through personal interests, community questions, or classroom learning.
The records people leave behind offer perspectives on earlier ways of life, connecting individual experiences with the events and institutions around them. Bring a family connection, a question about a familiar place or an interest in local history, and see where the sources lead. Explore the archive online for free, without a subscription.
Explore the collection
Titles in this collection
Explore Wayside Theater Scrapbook and Wayside Theatre Scrapbooks through 2,217 digitized pages, with material from 1964 to 1978. A partnership between Wayside Theater and Advantage Archives makes this collection available. Some years or items may be missing between the dates shown.
A family story or a question about a familiar place can lead somewhere unexpected. Browse the titles below and see which detail draws you in.
Wayside Theater Scrapbook
1,654 pages from 1970 to 1978
Wayside Theatre Scrapbooks
563 pages from 1964 to 1969
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About the Community
About The Wayside Theatre
The Wayside Theatre, located at 7853 Main Street in Middletown, Virginia, has a rich history dating back to its establishment in 1961. Originally a movie theatre built in 1946, the building was transformed into a professional live theatre after being purchased by businessman and philanthropist Leo M. Bernstein. The theatre began its journey with its first performance in 1963 and continued to operate for 50 years until its closure in 2013 due to financial difficulties. The theatre quickly gained a reputation for high-quality performances, attracting notable actors such as Peter Boyle, Susan Sarandon, and Chris Sarandon early in their careers. The theatre's productions were well-received, and it became a cultural hub in the Shenandoah Valley. Throughout its history, Wayside Theatre underwent several renovations to enhance its facilities, including expanding the stage, installing new lighting systems, and adding more seating. Wayside Theatre played a significant role in the local community, hosting various plays ranging from classics to contemporary works. Despite its eventual closure, the theatre remains a cherished part of Middletown's heritage and a testament to the area's support for the arts.
More ways to explore and share local history
Research Guidance
Trace the source behind a clipping
A family memory, familiar place, or community question in Winchester can offer a starting point in scrapbooks, clippings, and articles shared by the Wayside Theater. Note the title and date attached to an item, and keep a page or item reference with the detail you want to check. Leave anything the source does not establish open for further research. Keep a clipping’s original publication, date, page, and any compiler’s note separate when those details are present. A scrapbook or selected article preserves a chosen set of material, not the full coverage of an event or community.
Follow a subject or name into another dated clipping or source. Keep the scrapbook’s arrangement and any handwritten annotation distinct from the wording of the printed item.
Keep source details beside each quotation or observation. If accounts differ, preserve both references and note what remains unresolved. Let the evidence, rather than a smooth retelling, show where the sources agree and where the story is still open.
Community Partnership
Keeping local history a community resource
This community archive is made possible by the collaboration of the Wayside Theater, its community, and Advantage Archives. Together, these partnerships preserve local sources and give people a way to explore, learn from, and share the history around them.
Advantage Archives covers ongoing archive hosting, storage, development, and maintenance. The institution and its community do not pay a subscription, seat license, annual support contract, or other recurring archive-service charge. Local history remains a community resource, not a subscription to maintain.
Would you like to see more of your community's history preserved and accessible? Start a conversation with your library, newspaper publisher, historical or genealogical society, museum, or school about the materials they would like to share and a possible partnership with Advantage Archives.
Learn about partnerships
Stories, research tips, and archive news
Read All About It connects archive research with the people and institutions preserving local history. Explore partner and community stories, project updates, research ideas, and perspectives on digitization, education, and working with primary sources. Use the articles as a starting point for your next question or a new way to share a discovery.
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