Joy Theatre
422 Austin Avenue,
Waco,
TX
422 Austin Avenue,
Waco,
TX
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I don’t know much about this theatre, other than it was badly damaged in the 1953 tornado.
Contributed by
Jake Vanek
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
The LA Times has some photos of the May 12, 1953 tornado in its archives. The Joy Theater is mentioned, but the poor quality of the photos makes it hard to tell if the theater was demolished at that time. Businesses on the same block that were destroyed were RT Dennis Furniture and Chris' Cafe.
The Joy Theater had 350 seats.
I read a book about the tornado that hit Waco in 1953 that discusses this theatre. It was in a part of downtown Waco that took a direct hit from a major tornado. The roof collapsed, but it stayed intact. Its arched shape worked to protect the theatre patrons, and those trapped here fared better than those in adjacent buildings. Judging from that description, I would say that the theatre ceased its existence that day.