The Lynn Theatre opened in downtown Laguna Beach, as the first Orange County cinema south of Santa Ana, around 1915. The exact start date is a matter of conjecture, as the operators (the Aufdenkamp family) began their “theatre” as an outdoor venue, screening silent films on a bed sheet. At some point, the outdoor screenings were moved in to a building, at 255 Forest Ave., and the site was officially dubbed the Lynn Theatre (named after Lyndon “Lynn” Aufdenkamp). An immediate success, the theatre garnered enough business to warrant a larger cinema, which the Aufdenkamps built on Pacific Coast Highway, in 1922 (also known as the Lynn).

 

The original Lynn Theatre, referred to as the “Old Lynn” after the new site opened, was briefly utilized as an art gallery, before being remodeled for retail use. Today, the site houses a Boardrider’s clothing outlet.