Clifton Theater
1016 Main Street,
Lubbock,
TX
79401
1016 Main Street,
Lubbock,
TX
79401
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Additional Info
Architects: W.R. Kaufman, O.R. Walker
Styles: Beaux-Arts, Streamline Moderne
Previous Names: Palace Theater
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Originally opened as the Palace Theater on December 15, 1924. In 1934 it was enlarged to the plans of local architect O.R. Walker. In the early-1950’s it was given a ‘Modernistic’ make-over and re-opened as the Clifton Theater.
It specialized in horror movies in the 1950’s and 1960’s, it was located near the Lindsey Theater in old downtown Lubbock. The Clifton Theater was closed August 29, 1959 and demolition began the following month.
Contributed by
curtis cates
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Recent comments (view all 10 comments)
I saw “RODAN the FLYING MONSTER” at the Clifton. It was a grand old movie palace that ran a lot of horror movies. Played “CREATURE from the BLACK LAGOON” in Double-interlock polaroid 3-D there.
Courtesy of Oklahoma Historical Society is this 1948 architectural drawing of the contemporary Clifton Theatre. To view sketch type in word “clifton”, then search,
View link
Many Lubbock theaters shown. El Capitan; Plaza; Clifton; Lindsey; Cactus; Westerner Drive-In; Corral; Broadway; Midway; Plains Drive-In; Arnett-Benson; Arcadia.
View link
From the drop-down box choose: Buildings-Commercial-Movie Theaters
Search theatre and drive-in and there are other arial shots of other drive-ins, etc.
ENJOY!
Recently uncovered vintage photographs reveal that the Clifton was a makeover of the old Palace Theater.
The Clifton was the old Palace. It was across the street from what became the Pride of the Plains Lindsey Theater. It was in a large 3 story stucture that was part of the old Hilton Hotel city block. All of the buildings are now gone. It was one of the only buildings of its size in downtown Lubbock.
Lost memory, the link above has died, but I found the opening ad pages, which can be found at the link below.
View link
The Clifton had the coolest art deco you ever saw, and the seats slid forward, like a recliner! I never saw seats like that again after the Clifton closed.
December 14th, 1924 & November 7th, 1948 grand opening ads in photo section.
Uploaded two photos from the Texas Tech University Special Collection.
The Palace Theatre was remodeled and enlarged in 1934. The July 22 issue of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal said that the formal opening was to take place the following night. Plans for the project had been prepared by local architect O.R. Walker.