Slaton Theatre
255 W. Garza Street,
Slaton,
TX
79364
255 W. Garza Street,
Slaton,
TX
79364
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Leon Theaters
Architects: Jack M. Corgan
Functions: Workshop
Styles: Art Deco
Previous Names: Lincoln Airdrome, Texas Theatre, State Theatre
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The Lincoln Airdrome was opened in June 1920. It was listed as the Texas Theatre (a silent movie theatre) in 1931-1932. It had been renamed State Theatre by 1936. It was listed as (Closed) in 1943, but following a remodel to the plans of architect Jack Corgan, it had reopened by 1950 and was still operating in 1957. It was renamed Slaton Theatre. In 2016 the building is occupied by Klemkes Sausage Haus as a manufacturing workshop.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
This photo depicts the State Theatre in 1955, although it is captioned Slaton Theatre. The name on the theater itself is not visible due to the angle, but the vertical sign does appear to have spaces for six letters. An index for the June 13, 1952 Frontier Celebration Edition of the Slaton Slatonite lists advertisements for the Slaton Theatre and the Caprock Theatre (the drive-in.) I’ve also found a reference to the Slaton Theatre on this web page about the experiences of the Diaz family, who moved to Slaton in 1947.
Two poster cases remain intact on the building, one of them reading “Klemke’s Antiques and Gifts” and the other “Klemke’s Sausage Haus”, and it appears that at least the front section of the former theater houses the antique shop, while the entrance to the butcher shop (Klemke’s does operate a restaurant, but at a different location) is in the building next door at the corner of 10th Street. The company also does its own meat processing, and I think the processing plant is in this complex, possibly including the former auditorium.
This was a silent-era venue called the Palace Theatre. Jeff Custer announced it initially in 1922 but not building it. Custer was coming to compete with the Wilselma Theatre created by Floyd Williams and Sam Selman. The unnamed project here slowed when Custer bought the Wilselma changing its name to the Custer. He ultimately built this venue in 1925 naming it as the Palace Theatre (“#1” - original location) that launched on November 16, 1925 with “The Pony Express.”
Oskar Korn’s OK Theatres Circuit took on the Custer and the Palace. Korn favored the Wilselma/Custer venue wiring it for sound and renaming it as the New Palace Theatre / Palace Theatre (#2) likely realizing it was too expensive to wire two theaters with a population at that time south of 4,000 residents. With the Palace name in use, this venue is given the name, the Texas Theatre in April of 1929, which hosts live events.
TThe former Palace #1 turned Texas Theatre is then wired sound as the State Theatre in 1937. C.D. Leon of the Leon Theatres Circuit bought the Palace (#2) and the State (former Palace #1 / Texas) theaters in 1947 giving the venues major streamline moderne looks using Jack Corgan as the architect for both projects. The State becomes the Slaton Theatre, its final operating name.
The Caprock Drive-In is built in 1951 and it becomes commonly owned with the Slaton with the Palace leaving the scene in the television era. The Slaton was still in operation in 1965.