HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
1932 Art Deco theatre in Bar Harbor with a Prohibition speakeasy past and a reported projectionist ghost
35 Cottage St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Research updated August 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Ticket prices vary by event; see the theatre's website or its Tixr ticketing page for current shows.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Downtown Bar Harbor theatre with a balcony, projection room, and basement level
Equipment
No Photos
Est. 1932 · 1932 Art Deco theatre · National Register of Historic Places · Prohibition-era basement speakeasy · Reopened by the Harper House Music Foundation in 2025
The Criterion Theatre was built in 1932, an Art Deco movie palace that took its name from a London theatre. It opened during Prohibition, and by local account its basement operated as a speakeasy; the proprietor of that operation had served time for running rum from Canada into Maine.
The theatre is a contributing building on the National Register of Historic Places and sits on Cottage Street in downtown Bar Harbor. It survived the Fire of 1947 that destroyed much of the surrounding resort district, and it continued to operate as a cinema and event space for decades, though its fortunes varied with the town's seasonal economy.
After a stretch of operational uncertainty, the Harper House Music Foundation acquired and reopened the venue in 2025, restoring it to active use for concerts, films, and live performances. The 1932 interior, with its balcony and projection room, remains the centerpiece, and the theatre is now both a working cultural venue for Mount Desert Island and a stop on the downtown ghost tour.
Sources
The Criterion's haunted reputation centers on the projection room and balcony. The most frequently named figure is Roy Blake, described as a former projectionist of the theatre, with reports of a dark figure seen in the projection booth and the upper seating. The building's basement, used as a speakeasy during Prohibition, is part of the lore that has built up around the venue.
These accounts come from a paranormal-interest feature and from regional television coverage of the theatre around Halloween, as well as from the Bar Harbor ghost tour, which lists the Criterion among its stops and tries to bring groups inside when the theatre's calendar allows. Interior access for the tour is not guaranteed on any given night.
Because the Criterion is an operating performance venue rather than a paranormal attraction, the most reliable way to spend time in the building is to attend a show. The Art Deco interior, the balcony, and the projection room are the spaces the stories attach to, and they are the same spaces a ticket holder will see.
Notable Entities
The Criterion Theatre is an operating performing-arts venue presenting concerts, films, and live events. Tickets for current programming are sold through the theatre's website and its Tixr page. The 1932 Art Deco interior, balcony, and projection room are part of the experience for ticket holders.
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Detroit, MI
The Majestic Theatre opened on April 1, 1915, designed by architect C. Howard Crane, and originally seated 1,651 people as what was billed the world's largest movie theater. The Art Deco facade was added in 1934 when Woodward Avenue was widened and the original Italian-style front was demolished. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.
Fargo, ND
The Fargo Theatre opened on Broadway on March 15, 1926, as an Art Deco movie palace with a vaudeville stage and a Wurlitzer organ. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 21, 1982, restored, and reopened on March 20, 1999. It is operated today by the nonprofit Fargo Theatre Management Corporation as a working cinema and live-event venue.
Missoula, MT
The Wilma Theatre opened in 1921, built by William 'Billy' Simons and named for his wife, light-opera singer Edna Wilma. Designed by architect Ole Bakke, it anchored an eight-story complex that was Missoula's first steel-framed high-rise. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and operates today as a cinema and concert venue.