pastor. A formal village hall, called for by a vote for a "Municipal Building", was built on $36,000 worth of bonds in 1938. It currently houses Roxana's Village President, Treasurer, Water Department, and Clerk's offices, the fire and police departments, the village board room, and a municipal gymnasium. In the early 1940s, a large Art Deco-style theater was built at the northwest corner of Thomas Street and Central Avenue, at 400 N. Central Avenue. To the south across Thomas Street used to sit Burbank School, built in 1936 (torn down in 2009), and at the southeast corner of the intersection lay Roxana Drug Store. Seating approximately 580 people, the theater was originally designed for vaudeville acts as well as movie showings. In 1949, a tornado tore the roof off, but after repairs were made, the theater reopened. In the late 1960s, it was closed for nearly two years before being sold in June 1968 from the estate of Albert Critchlow to Bloomer Amusement Co. of Belleville. It was thereafter operated as "BAC Cine" for many years. In 1992, the Cine was purchased by Kerasotes Theatres, Inc., of Springfield, Illinois, which operated it until its closing in February 2002. In 2000, the theater was purchased from Kerasotes and was donated to the Roxana Church of the Nazarene, which is located just to the north. The church now operates the building as the Nazarene Community Center, where it is available for rental and group events. Geography Roxana is located in western Madison County at (38.838397, -90.063653). It is bordered to the north by Wood River, to the west by Hartford, and to the southwest by South Roxana. Illinois Route 143 passes through the northern side of the village, leading northwest into Wood River and southeast to Edwardsville, the county seat. Illinois Route 111 passes through the northwest part of the village, leading north into Wood River and south to Pontoon Beach. Illinois Route 255, a four-lane freeway, runs through the east side of the village, with access from Exits 5 and 6. Route 255 leads northwest to Godfrey and south to Interstates 255 and 270 in Pontoon Beach. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Roxana has a total area of , of which , or 1.69%, are water. Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 1,547 people, 655 households, and 436 families residing in the village. The population density was