Not a member yet? Register now.

Search

Theaters News Links

Advanced search
 

Theater Guide

Now listing 26,623 theaters & 1,598 photos… more
Browse by...
• Architect
• Chain
• Firm
• Function
• Location
• Newest
• Photo
• Screens
• Seats
• Status
• Style
• Updated
• VR
 

Add Your Cinema Treasure!

Add Theater
Add Photo (offline)
Add Theater News
 

Newest Theaters

Nov 21 Grand Cinema
Nov 21 Broadlands Cinema
Nov 21 Miners' Welfare…
Nov 21 Miners' Welfare…
Nov 20 Welfare Hall…
Nov 20 Starlighter…
Nov 20 Port City Music…
Nov 20 Mid City 3…
Nov 20 SouthGlenn Stadium
Nov 19 Hoyts Cinema…
more new theaters
 

Recent Comments

Nov 21 Mayfair Cinema (3)
Nov 21 AMC Loews… (50)
Nov 21 Stratford Theater (25)
Nov 21 Paramount Theatre (9)
Nov 21 Starlighter… (1)
Nov 21 Happy Land… (3)
Nov 21 Loew's… (167)
Nov 21 Quaker Bridge… (4)
Nov 21 Forum 8 Theatre (1)
Nov 21 Palace Theatre (47)
 

Updated Theaters

Nov 21 North Adams Garden
Nov 21 Hudson Movieplex 8
Nov 21 Glenwood Theatre
Nov 21 Seville Theatre
Nov 21 Civic Theatre
Nov 21 Music Box Theatre
Nov 21 Moore Theater
Nov 21 Pantages Theater
Nov 21 Seventh Street…
Nov 21 Crystal Cinemas 8
more updated theaters
 
 
   Discover. Preserve. Protect.
Home » Theater Guide » Location » United States » Texas » Palestine » Texas Theater

Texas Theater

Palestine, TX
213 W. Crawford Street
, Palestine, TX 75801 United States
(map)
Status: Open
Screens: Single Screen
Style: Spanish Colonial
Function: Live Performances
Seats: 921
Chain: Unknown
Architect: W. Scott Dunne
Firm: Unknown
Add a photo for this theater!
The Texas Theater opened in 1921 on Crawford Street, primarily as a vaudeville house. From the 1940's into the 1960's, the Texas Theater served as a movie house. In the 1980's, the theater reopened as a live theater, but closed in 1997.

After many years' restoration work (which is still to be completed, including its auditorium's ceiling, the marquee and carpeting), the Texas Theater is now reopened, presenting live entertainment from the Palestine Community Theater which operates the theater. The theater's "Texas" vertical sign has been restored and relit.

Related Websites

Palestine Community Theater -- Texas Theater (Official)
Contributed by Bryan

YOUR COMMENTS

 
The Film Daily Yearbook's 1941 and 1943 give a seating capacity of 1,000. In the 1950 edition of F.D.Y. a seating capacity of 921 is given.
posted by KenRoe on Mar 13, 2005 at 2:57pm
This is a recent photo of the Texas Theater.

posted by Lost Memory on Nov 13, 2006 at 4:00pm
Here is a photo of the Texas Theater when it still had its marquee.

posted by Lost Memory on Nov 16, 2006 at 1:54pm
wow what aa shame!
posted by longislandmovies on Nov 16, 2006 at 3:27pm
My photo of the TEXAS before the paint job.

www.flickr.com/photos/lastpictureshow/364006364

Don.....
posted by Don Lewis on Jan 20, 2007 at 2:35pm
This is a late 1970s-early 1980s photo of the Texas Theater in Palestine.
posted by Don Lewis on Mar 31, 2008 at 4:18am
This is an interior view circa 1940.

posted by Lost Memory on May 14, 2008 at 5:42pm
This link claims that this was known as the Best Theater prior to being named the Texas Theater.

posted by Lost Memory on May 15, 2008 at 11:07am
Here is the Texas Theater in May of 2008.

posted by Lost Memory on Jun 20, 2008 at 2:31pm
1984 Photo

posted by Lost Memory on Apr 30, 2009 at 1:26pm
Although the intro above says that the Texas opened in 1921, the April 15, 1930, issue of Motion Picture Times published an architect's rendering of the theater, with a caption reading:
"This theatre, with a seating capacity of 1800, is to be built at Palestine for the R. and R. motion picture theatre interests. Designed by W. Scott Dunne, Dallas architect, the building will be one of the most modern with a balcony, lounge, rest, and smoking rooms on the mezzanine. The auditorium will be treated in an atmospheric motif in Italian style, with a forty-foot proscenium arch, flanked by tower motifs."
This web page contains an essay about the Texas by Bob Bowman who says that the Texas opened in 1928, burned in 1929, was rebuilt in the late 1930s, burned again in 1939 and again reopened.

To add to the temporal confusion, the League of Historic American Theatres says the Texas was built in 1922. I suspect that if I searched the Internets I could find still other opening dates for the Texas. Somebody will probably have to search the archives of the local newspaper(s) in Palestine to get the actual history of this theater.
posted by Joe Vogel on Sep 8, 2009 at 11:59pm
Here is a circa 1950 photo.

posted by Lost Memory on Sep 16, 2009 at 9:43am
After comparing photos I guess the Vitrolite looking facade was removed to the present day look.
posted by Patsy on Sep 18, 2009 at 8:47am
I would love to see a photo of this theatre with its Vitrolite exterior!
posted by Patsy on Oct 12, 2009 at 6:33pm
How about a photo of the building next to the Texas Theater that had green Vitrolite installed? The photo is on this site. Is that close enough? LOL

posted by Lost Memory on Oct 12, 2009 at 6:59pm
Close enough Lost! LOL! Thanks for always caring and being there when needed! And be sure to check out the Vitrolite facade on the Rialto in Cedarsburg WS with its amazing amount of black tile from top to bottom!
posted by Patsy on Oct 12, 2009 at 7:15pm
Here is another view of the Texas:
http://tinyurl.com/yjzdo94
posted by ken mc on Oct 24, 2009 at 7:25pm
Comment
*

Notify me when someone replies to my comment?
Note: Please read our comment policy before posting. Comments which are off-topic, obscene, spam, or personal attacks will be removed. Help us keep the discussion productive!