Texas Theatre
427 N. Austin Street,
Seguin,
TX
78155
427 N. Austin Street,
Seguin,
TX
78155
2 people
favorited this theater
The Texas Theatre in Seguin was built and opened in 1931. This stylish brick-and-mortar building is a remarkable combination of styles: part neo-Vintage, part Art Moderne, part Aztec, and part Western Town style, with a distinctive vintage marquee neon tower which flashed ‘Texas Theatre’ with a big star for Texas.
The building has never been remodeled and still looks exactly as it did in the 1930s. The front facade is covered by a roof overhang supported by four square brick pillars and the entry doors and ticket booth are flanked by movie poster display cases.
This theater was a popular showcase for Western movies from the 1930s to the 1960s, and often ran B-Western double features of Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and John Wayne.
Now only open for special events and film programs a few times a year, the theater is being gradually restored, and is on the town register of historic sites, so there is no danger of its being demolished.
It is a perfect venue for a Western movie film festival, and I can almost picture a horse hitchin' post out front before the street was paved, although I know it isn’t that old, and the street was already paved and lined with cars when it was built.
This theater may have been part of the same chain that owned the Texas Theaters in both San Antonio and Dallas, Texas, because their marquee towers are identical in style. This theater is a fine part of the cultural heritage of the grand state of Texas.
Contributed by
Donald John Long
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Recent comments (view all 24 comments)
Possibly! Please contact the City of Seguin Chamber of Commerce right next door to the Texas Theatre for further information.
just did, it won’t be ready for awhile bummer ;( thanks for pointing me in the right direction though!
Link to my photos of the Texas Theatre taken in 2007 & 2008"
View link
According to this link, the architect for the recent restoration of this theater was Milton Babbitt.
Here is a recent photo.
Here’s a news story posted 10/1/08 on My San Antonio News.
Old Seguin theater to be new again
Roger Croteau – Express-News
After 10 years of raising money, the Seguin Conservation Society officially broke ground Tuesday on a $2.5 million restoration of the historic Texas Theatre.
“It’s exciting for Seguin,†said Steve Tschoepe, chairman of the task force organizing the project. “Every time we open the doors, someone wanders in and tells us stories of when they were kids and they came here.â€
Harold Brodt, 88, said he remembers when the Texas opened in 1931 because the owner, Alvin Mueller, was a neighbor of his and had him dress as a cowboy and ride to the town square as part of his grand opening promotion.
“Mr. Mueller said, ‘You never have to pay a nickel,‘†Brodt said. “So I lived at the picture shows.â€
The Depression-era movie house sports a Spanish colonial motif and was noted for its star-studded ceiling, which will be part of the restoration.
The Texas is a star in its own right. A replica of the theater’s sign is displayed at the Bob Bullock Texas History Museum in Austin and the theater has appeared in several films, including “The Great Waldo Pepper†and “Raggedy Man.â€
“It was never modernized,†said task force member Nancy Masterson. “These mica lamps are original. It was repainted from time to time, but always in the original colors.â€
Dan Daniels said his family purchased the theater around 1934 and ran it until it closed in the mid-90s. He sold it to the conservation society in 1996.
“I’m excited to see it being restored,†he said. “It’s a shame there’s no way to make any money with a single-screen house anymore.â€
As a result, plans call for the stage to be expanded and the theater to be used for plays, lectures and musical performances as well as movies.
But more money is needed to finish the project, said task force member Stan Ledbetter.
“It took us 10 years to raise $2 million and the budgeted amount is $2.5 million,†he said. “Construction is expected to take a year or less, so that gives us a year or less to raise $500,000.â€
Here are some 1984 photos:
Photo1
Photo2
Photo3
Photo4
Interior Photo
This is a 2008 close-up view.
Slide show of ongoing restoration of the theater:
View link
The theater re-opened for events in March, 2011. On September 22, 2011 they had a “Marquee Partee” open house to celebrate the completion of newly installed neon lighting on the theater canopy and turned on the exterior lights for the first time. Photos of the exterior and interior from the event, as well as earlier (pre-restoration) photos can be seen here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/83379080@N00/sets/72157606862767276/
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