Check out our website: www.childresspalacetheater.com for photos of the recent facade facelift of The Palace as well as pics of our fundraising events. The Palace was dressed up and ready—not to mention “drop dead gorgeous”—for the September 23 block party during All-School Reunion. Next phase of the restoration is a new roof.
As Shirley MacLaine sang in “Sweet Charity” —“If they could see me now, that little gang of mine”… Well Folks, it’s time to take another look at The Palace Theater where “Charity” showed in 1969! She is no longer the “leprous” tan of the past few years. Restoration of the facade is now in progress with refurbished stucco and a beautiful white, with red trim, paint job. The facelift should be complete in 3 or 4 weeks when windows are re-installed and the portico, box office & Palace Barber Shop entry are all restored. All work is being done according to detail shown in an oil-tinted photograph from 1941 when The Palace was only 4 years old. A block party to celebrate the completion of this phase of restoration will be held September 23 during Childress County’s All-School Reunion. It’s time to take another look at The Palace. Those alumni are going to be blown away. Let’s post a picture of The Palace and Main Street in Childress, Texas, going forward!
Restoration of the facade of The Palace is underway. She is no longer the “leprous” tan as described by one observer, but is already an image of her orginal art deco beauty. The refurbished stucco is now a glorious white accented by a deep red at the top of the structure and half-round vertical molding in the same color on either side of the restored vertical neon sign. Scaffolding is still in place with windows to be put back in place, but work on the portico & box office will soon begin. Work should be near completion by September 23, when Childress Theatre Company’s Palace restoration committee will co-host a block party at The Palace during Childress County’s All-School Reunion. It’s nearly time to post some better photos of The Palace, folks.
By the way, the ‘57 Chevy giveaway was the brainchild of “creed” and it was very a very successful means of getting the community more involved in The Palace Restoration. Thanks for the encouraging comments on our exciting task.
Good things are happening to The Palace. Seven fundraisers are scheduled for 2010. Bids are being taken for the refurbishing of the Art Deco facade of the actual Palace, with plans to later reconstruct the facades of the Palace Barber Shop to the north of The Palace and the news stand joining The Palace on the south, according to the color 1941 photo posted by “ken mc”, above, on 3-26-09. The news stand was incorporated into the theater as a concession stand, probably in the 1940’s, serving movie goers until it closed in the mid-90’s. The Palace has been a Texas Historical Commission ‘designated historic landmark’ since 2005.
Who knows why a reporter from the 1930’s era of sensationalism, who probably did not see the ruins personally, would use the word “razed”? The Childress Index did not report that The Palace was razed. The walls of The Palace are original—the firewalls on the north and south probably prevented the spread of the fire to the adjoining buildings on the block. Photographs show that the interior was gutted. The west wall, which is the front entry, is original, as are the front portico, the marquee & the vertical Palace sign. According to historical records & photographs, the original Palace was rebuilt and improved and reopened 2-27-37 by Mable Phipps & Rufus Layton.
The Palace was completely destroyed by the 1936 fire you mention. It was rebuilt at a cost of $50,000 and reopened February 27, 1937. As I mentioned in my comments above, dated November 12, 2007, this was the second fire in The Palace’s history. The first fire was in 1934. The facts are not distorted by the Abilene newspaper. I’m surprised it was reported in that paper since Abilene is 150 miles south of Childress. The City News Stand, which was at some later time converted to the Palace concession stand, joined the Palace on the south, and the Palace Barber Shop was immediately on the north. Both properties are part of our restoration plans. Last spring the Palace Restoration Committee of Childress Theatre Company was able to have a large opening on the back of the building (an old evaporative a/c system) sealed and had repairs done to the roof—sealing out such varmints as bats, birds & Africanized bees! However, a severe storm (hail/straight winds/tornado) on Father’s Day damaged the repairs to the roof. As funds and the weather allow, we hope to have the roof repaired again soon.
It is great to see the photo posted by Lost Memory and to know people are watching the Palace. Restoration efforts are progressing, with estimated costs around $2 million to bring her back to her 1930’s Art Deco glory. Grant applications are underway, and major local projects include a drawing on New Year’s Eve for a 1957 Chevy, with only 1,200 tickets available at $100 donation per ticket. It seems the community has awakened to the treasure sitting silently on the brick Main Street of downtown Childress.
We appreciate the positive press regarding the Palace. Our restoration group is looking forward to her future as the beginning step to refurbishing Main Street in Childress. F.M. Phipps, who came to Childress in 1911, purchased the LaGrande Opera House and the Monogram Theater. The Palace was only one of at least six different cinema theaters owned between 1911 and 1988 by Mr. Phipps, his wife Mable, his partner G.S. Layton, and his son Rufus Layton, and after their deaths by extended family members of Mable Phipps. Mr. Phipps & Mr. Layton both died in the 1930’s, and the business was carried on by Mrs. Phipps and Rufus Layton, and later by Mrs. Phipps' relatives. Gene Autry performed on the stage of The Palace in 1938, confirmed in the April 18, 1938 issue of The Childress Index.
The original & current address is 206 Main Street. 210 Main was the address of the Palace Barber Shop on the north side of the Palace box office portico. On the south side of the box office was the Palace News Stand. Both of these were part of the orginal architecture. The newstand was later converted to a concession stand. Childress Theatre Company, a nonprofit corporation, has undertaken the restoration and preservation of The Palace, first acquiring historic designation by the Texas Historical Commission in
2006. The “Palace Partners” committee of Childress Theatre Company, headed by Carter Reed, is currently seeking grants in an effort to bring the grand old theater back to her original Art Deco elegance. She is a resiliant lady, having been built in 1926, burning and being rebuilt in 1934, and burning again in 1935. She was magnificently rebuilt, designated to show first run major films, and reopened February 27, 1937, to the applause of Hollywood’s greats—Olivia DeHaviland, Dick Powell, Joan Blondell, Pat O'Brian, Al Jolson, Ruby Keeler and more, according to the February 28, 1937, issue of The Childress Index.
Check out our website: www.childresspalacetheater.com for photos of the recent facade facelift of The Palace as well as pics of our fundraising events. The Palace was dressed up and ready—not to mention “drop dead gorgeous”—for the September 23 block party during All-School Reunion. Next phase of the restoration is a new roof.
As Shirley MacLaine sang in “Sweet Charity” —“If they could see me now, that little gang of mine”… Well Folks, it’s time to take another look at The Palace Theater where “Charity” showed in 1969! She is no longer the “leprous” tan of the past few years. Restoration of the facade is now in progress with refurbished stucco and a beautiful white, with red trim, paint job. The facelift should be complete in 3 or 4 weeks when windows are re-installed and the portico, box office & Palace Barber Shop entry are all restored. All work is being done according to detail shown in an oil-tinted photograph from 1941 when The Palace was only 4 years old. A block party to celebrate the completion of this phase of restoration will be held September 23 during Childress County’s All-School Reunion. It’s time to take another look at The Palace. Those alumni are going to be blown away. Let’s post a picture of The Palace and Main Street in Childress, Texas, going forward!
Restoration of the facade of The Palace is underway. She is no longer the “leprous” tan as described by one observer, but is already an image of her orginal art deco beauty. The refurbished stucco is now a glorious white accented by a deep red at the top of the structure and half-round vertical molding in the same color on either side of the restored vertical neon sign. Scaffolding is still in place with windows to be put back in place, but work on the portico & box office will soon begin. Work should be near completion by September 23, when Childress Theatre Company’s Palace restoration committee will co-host a block party at The Palace during Childress County’s All-School Reunion. It’s nearly time to post some better photos of The Palace, folks.
By the way, the ‘57 Chevy giveaway was the brainchild of “creed” and it was very a very successful means of getting the community more involved in The Palace Restoration. Thanks for the encouraging comments on our exciting task.
Good things are happening to The Palace. Seven fundraisers are scheduled for 2010. Bids are being taken for the refurbishing of the Art Deco facade of the actual Palace, with plans to later reconstruct the facades of the Palace Barber Shop to the north of The Palace and the news stand joining The Palace on the south, according to the color 1941 photo posted by “ken mc”, above, on 3-26-09. The news stand was incorporated into the theater as a concession stand, probably in the 1940’s, serving movie goers until it closed in the mid-90’s. The Palace has been a Texas Historical Commission ‘designated historic landmark’ since 2005.
Who knows why a reporter from the 1930’s era of sensationalism, who probably did not see the ruins personally, would use the word “razed”? The Childress Index did not report that The Palace was razed. The walls of The Palace are original—the firewalls on the north and south probably prevented the spread of the fire to the adjoining buildings on the block. Photographs show that the interior was gutted. The west wall, which is the front entry, is original, as are the front portico, the marquee & the vertical Palace sign. According to historical records & photographs, the original Palace was rebuilt and improved and reopened 2-27-37 by Mable Phipps & Rufus Layton.
The Palace was completely destroyed by the 1936 fire you mention. It was rebuilt at a cost of $50,000 and reopened February 27, 1937. As I mentioned in my comments above, dated November 12, 2007, this was the second fire in The Palace’s history. The first fire was in 1934. The facts are not distorted by the Abilene newspaper. I’m surprised it was reported in that paper since Abilene is 150 miles south of Childress. The City News Stand, which was at some later time converted to the Palace concession stand, joined the Palace on the south, and the Palace Barber Shop was immediately on the north. Both properties are part of our restoration plans. Last spring the Palace Restoration Committee of Childress Theatre Company was able to have a large opening on the back of the building (an old evaporative a/c system) sealed and had repairs done to the roof—sealing out such varmints as bats, birds & Africanized bees! However, a severe storm (hail/straight winds/tornado) on Father’s Day damaged the repairs to the roof. As funds and the weather allow, we hope to have the roof repaired again soon.
It is great to see the photo posted by Lost Memory and to know people are watching the Palace. Restoration efforts are progressing, with estimated costs around $2 million to bring her back to her 1930’s Art Deco glory. Grant applications are underway, and major local projects include a drawing on New Year’s Eve for a 1957 Chevy, with only 1,200 tickets available at $100 donation per ticket. It seems the community has awakened to the treasure sitting silently on the brick Main Street of downtown Childress.
We appreciate the positive press regarding the Palace. Our restoration group is looking forward to her future as the beginning step to refurbishing Main Street in Childress. F.M. Phipps, who came to Childress in 1911, purchased the LaGrande Opera House and the Monogram Theater. The Palace was only one of at least six different cinema theaters owned between 1911 and 1988 by Mr. Phipps, his wife Mable, his partner G.S. Layton, and his son Rufus Layton, and after their deaths by extended family members of Mable Phipps. Mr. Phipps & Mr. Layton both died in the 1930’s, and the business was carried on by Mrs. Phipps and Rufus Layton, and later by Mrs. Phipps' relatives. Gene Autry performed on the stage of The Palace in 1938, confirmed in the April 18, 1938 issue of The Childress Index.
The original & current address is 206 Main Street. 210 Main was the address of the Palace Barber Shop on the north side of the Palace box office portico. On the south side of the box office was the Palace News Stand. Both of these were part of the orginal architecture. The newstand was later converted to a concession stand. Childress Theatre Company, a nonprofit corporation, has undertaken the restoration and preservation of The Palace, first acquiring historic designation by the Texas Historical Commission in
2006. The “Palace Partners” committee of Childress Theatre Company, headed by Carter Reed, is currently seeking grants in an effort to bring the grand old theater back to her original Art Deco elegance. She is a resiliant lady, having been built in 1926, burning and being rebuilt in 1934, and burning again in 1935. She was magnificently rebuilt, designated to show first run major films, and reopened February 27, 1937, to the applause of Hollywood’s greats—Olivia DeHaviland, Dick Powell, Joan Blondell, Pat O'Brian, Al Jolson, Ruby Keeler and more, according to the February 28, 1937, issue of The Childress Index.