A bit late and I’m no expert but the question about the ozoner’s name of “Caprock” finds it based in geological and geographical roots near Slaton and within the Panhandle of Texas. The Caprock Escarpment is a transition point in West Texas and Eastern New Mexico from the High Plains of the Llano Estacado and the surrounding rolling terrain.
The ozoner sits just west of the Caprock Escarpment placing it atop Llano Estacado, at a higher elevation. Locals will say that they live just above the Caprock with they - and the Caprock Drive-In - just ahead of where the land drops off to the lower plains. The Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway is about 90 minutes north of the ozoner.
When folks built the drive-in, it had a close proximity to the Slaton Gravel Pit. That pit was created by punching holes in the Caprock layer (likely, hardened calcium carbonate). Below that layer were useful discoveries including gravel, sand, and clay. With the drive-in built near or even on such formations, it was christened the Caprock Drive-In Theatre…
Or the operators simply had two Bichon Frisés named Cappy and Rocky and just went for the fusion of “Caprock.” It’s your pick.
The Winwood Mall opened on February 21, 1973 anchored by Montgomery Ward’s and Woolco and a commitment for a twin cinema later that year. Opened by Carrol’s Development Corporation were two, identical 400 seat auditoriums or 800 seats total at launch.
It became a CinemaNational location on May 26, 1974 with “The Sting” in its 15th week of 21 weeks there and “The Exorcist.” United Artists took on much of CinemaNational’s portfolio in the Summer of 1976 with the renaming of the UA Winwood Cinema 1 & 2 on August 3, 1976. It is presumed that UATC was able to renegotiate a fresh 20-year leasing agreement. UA split one of the twins in May of 1985 to create the UA Winwood Cinema 3.
The winds turned against the Mall when it tried to re-up its original tenants at the expiry of a wave of 20-year contracts. Times were tough and a decision was made to terminate the Winwood Mall in favor of a “power strip” shopping center. The UA sprinted out the door closing August 22, 1996 with “Alaska,” “House Arrest” and “The Nutty Professor.” Ward’s was one of the last two holdouts of the Mall and they ankled the venue in 2000 as it was heading toward Chapter 7 bankruptcy which it would achieve in liquidation circa 2001.
I am fairly confident that this entry should be the UA Winwood Cinema 3 (not the Winwood Theater).
The original Princess Theatre was built in 1918 by W. F. Bohlman for a replacement for the Bohlman Theatre that had been destroyed in a 1917 fire. The Bohlman Confectionery served as the de facto concession stand making the transition to the new venture. Under new operator Elouise C.I. White, she made the determination that the Princess wasn’t going to be right for the sound era and built this new-build multifunction property.
The New Princess Theatre launched October 4, 1929 with Our Modern Maidens.“ The Empress Confectionery on premises served as the de facto concession stand. Elouise, with her husband Carlton I. White, were still operating the venue on January 4, 1955 when it was upgraded to widescreen projection to show CinemaScope titles beginning with “Hell and High Water.”
The Whites sold the venture in the O.T. “Shorty” Sudduth in June of 1965. The Princess did not have enough subjects closing - most likely - on January 26, 1974 with “Vanishing Wilderness” on a four-wall.
The Palace Theatre “2” shown here was the sound era name of the Wilselma (no “n”) and renamed Custer silent-era house in downtown Slaton, Texas. Floyd Williams and Sam Selman built the Wilselma Theatre (no “n”) in a fusion of their names in 1920. Jeff D. Custer announced a new-build house in September of 1922. Before that project is started, he purchased the Wilselma changing its name to the Custer Theatre using 100% of his surname.
Custer ultimately created the Palace Theatre “#1” that launched on November 16, 1925 with “The Pony Express.” In Custer’s last stand, Oskar Korn’s OK Theatres Circuit took on the Custer and the “new” Palace. The Custer finished its silent run in 1929. Korn then wired the Custer with Goetz Photo-Pone sound, one of the least expensive options of that era, and a low cost pipe organ. The original Custer-built Palace closed after its final showings in March of 1929. The moniker was moved to the newly-wired venue.
The New Palace Theatre opened in the former Custer location with sound films with “Redskin” (no dialogue but recorded music!) on April 15, 1929. The venue is rewired in 1930 with DeForest Phonofilm Sound so that the audiences might hear the dialogue. Herschel Crawford then took on the Palace. The former Palace becomes the Texas Theatre and only used for live events until it was rewired for sound as the State Theatre in 1937.
C.D. Leon of the Leon Theatres Circuit bought the Palace and the State theaters in 1947 giving the venues major streamline looks using Jack Corgan as the architect. The State becomes the Slaton and the New Palace - which had become the Palace - would become the New Palace again - before returning back to the Palace Theatre (“#2”) again. I think that certainly clarifies things.
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.
The Circus Drive-In opened June 30, 1951 with “When the Redskins Rode” picking that date simply to annoy the opening of the Caprock Drive-In that opening the same night. “Construction” had only started on June 1, 1951 and was “completed” at month’s end.
Advertisements continue through the end of its first (only) season with “Brave Bulls” on November 7, 1951. The theater has no more ads and no more mentions following that. The reason it’s not seeable on the 1957 aerial is that it was, like a circus, long gone after it’s season (first) ended.
The Wagon Wheel started spinning May 1, 1951. But not at this address. This is the address for the Holiday Drive-In that opened in 1963 by the operators of the hardtop Lyric Theater in downtown.
The original Lyric Theatre held its grand opening on September 26, 1928 with “We Americans” on the big screen. Lyric #1 was located at 221 Main Street and converted to a retail store after its closure.
Grace and Wright Hale built the streamline moderne Lyric Theatre opening November 22, 1948 with the Palace Theatre continuing operation in the two-theater town until 1953. The Lyric converted to widescreen to show CinemaScope films In 1963, Wright and S.B. Hale, Jr., built the Holiday Drive-In returning Spearman to a two theater town.
The Marfa Opera House was where local residents saw their first films. The venue was first transformed into a movie house at the end of the silent era getting its Palace moniker / sound era name. The theater suffered a projection room explosion which destroyed both it and City Hall following its January 7, 1937 showtimes. Its current streamline moderne look occurred in a rebuilding of the showplace in 1937 by operator Oscar Korn launching as the Palace Theatre June 19, 1937.
Fiesta ads begin appearing early in 1951 - possibly its first season - as operated by Hodge’s H & H Theatres. The last ad for the Fiesta on October 30, 1967 “Africa: Texas Style!” likely at the end of its season. It appears to not reopen the following spring. The venue was rocked by a 1969 hail storm and high winds likely dooming the damaged property which purportedly was not operating at the time of the storm. It was later demolished.
The State Theatre was opened in 1937 by Homer Hodge at 106 South Main Street. Griffith Amusements operated it for a stretch with Hodge returning later. It was equipped with widescreen projection in 1954 to present CinemaScope films. The State closed on June 9, 1979. Homer Hodge offered the building as a donation to the City of Winters in 1981 (which it declined). The building was retrofitted as a professional building in 1983 and is used - as of the 2020s - as a retail building.
211 West Dale Street - Demolished in the late 1990s. Last film December 31, 1951 - “Cyclone of Fury.” Looks like Homer T. Hodge opened the Queen here in 1922. Installed sound on Mar 21, 1929 with “The Trail of ‘98” to remain viable.
October 12, 1950 grand opening ad in photos w/ “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”
Opened in 1918
A bit late and I’m no expert but the question about the ozoner’s name of “Caprock” finds it based in geological and geographical roots near Slaton and within the Panhandle of Texas. The Caprock Escarpment is a transition point in West Texas and Eastern New Mexico from the High Plains of the Llano Estacado and the surrounding rolling terrain.
The ozoner sits just west of the Caprock Escarpment placing it atop Llano Estacado, at a higher elevation. Locals will say that they live just above the Caprock with they - and the Caprock Drive-In - just ahead of where the land drops off to the lower plains. The Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway is about 90 minutes north of the ozoner.
When folks built the drive-in, it had a close proximity to the Slaton Gravel Pit. That pit was created by punching holes in the Caprock layer (likely, hardened calcium carbonate). Below that layer were useful discoveries including gravel, sand, and clay. With the drive-in built near or even on such formations, it was christened the Caprock Drive-In Theatre…
Or the operators simply had two Bichon Frisés named Cappy and Rocky and just went for the fusion of “Caprock.” It’s your pick.
The Winwood Mall opened on February 21, 1973 anchored by Montgomery Ward’s and Woolco and a commitment for a twin cinema later that year. Opened by Carrol’s Development Corporation were two, identical 400 seat auditoriums or 800 seats total at launch.
It became a CinemaNational location on May 26, 1974 with “The Sting” in its 15th week of 21 weeks there and “The Exorcist.” United Artists took on much of CinemaNational’s portfolio in the Summer of 1976 with the renaming of the UA Winwood Cinema 1 & 2 on August 3, 1976. It is presumed that UATC was able to renegotiate a fresh 20-year leasing agreement. UA split one of the twins in May of 1985 to create the UA Winwood Cinema 3.
The winds turned against the Mall when it tried to re-up its original tenants at the expiry of a wave of 20-year contracts. Times were tough and a decision was made to terminate the Winwood Mall in favor of a “power strip” shopping center. The UA sprinted out the door closing August 22, 1996 with “Alaska,” “House Arrest” and “The Nutty Professor.” Ward’s was one of the last two holdouts of the Mall and they ankled the venue in 2000 as it was heading toward Chapter 7 bankruptcy which it would achieve in liquidation circa 2001.
I am fairly confident that this entry should be the UA Winwood Cinema 3 (not the Winwood Theater).
Closed - Renovating
Opened in 1953.
The original Princess Theatre was built in 1918 by W. F. Bohlman for a replacement for the Bohlman Theatre that had been destroyed in a 1917 fire. The Bohlman Confectionery served as the de facto concession stand making the transition to the new venture. Under new operator Elouise C.I. White, she made the determination that the Princess wasn’t going to be right for the sound era and built this new-build multifunction property.
The New Princess Theatre launched October 4, 1929 with Our Modern Maidens.“ The Empress Confectionery on premises served as the de facto concession stand. Elouise, with her husband Carlton I. White, were still operating the venue on January 4, 1955 when it was upgraded to widescreen projection to show CinemaScope titles beginning with “Hell and High Water.”
The Whites sold the venture in the O.T. “Shorty” Sudduth in June of 1965. The Princess did not have enough subjects closing - most likely - on January 26, 1974 with “Vanishing Wilderness” on a four-wall.
Opened June 6, 1950
Closed
The Palace Theatre “2” shown here was the sound era name of the Wilselma (no “n”) and renamed Custer silent-era house in downtown Slaton, Texas. Floyd Williams and Sam Selman built the Wilselma Theatre (no “n”) in a fusion of their names in 1920. Jeff D. Custer announced a new-build house in September of 1922. Before that project is started, he purchased the Wilselma changing its name to the Custer Theatre using 100% of his surname.
Custer ultimately created the Palace Theatre “#1” that launched on November 16, 1925 with “The Pony Express.” In Custer’s last stand, Oskar Korn’s OK Theatres Circuit took on the Custer and the “new” Palace. The Custer finished its silent run in 1929. Korn then wired the Custer with Goetz Photo-Pone sound, one of the least expensive options of that era, and a low cost pipe organ. The original Custer-built Palace closed after its final showings in March of 1929. The moniker was moved to the newly-wired venue.
The New Palace Theatre opened in the former Custer location with sound films with “Redskin” (no dialogue but recorded music!) on April 15, 1929. The venue is rewired in 1930 with DeForest Phonofilm Sound so that the audiences might hear the dialogue. Herschel Crawford then took on the Palace. The former Palace becomes the Texas Theatre and only used for live events until it was rewired for sound as the State Theatre in 1937.
C.D. Leon of the Leon Theatres Circuit bought the Palace and the State theaters in 1947 giving the venues major streamline looks using Jack Corgan as the architect. The State becomes the Slaton and the New Palace - which had become the Palace - would become the New Palace again - before returning back to the Palace Theatre (“#2”) again. I think that certainly clarifies things.
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.
According to the trade press of the era, the entire cost of the ozoner was a microscopic $6,500.
The Circus Drive-In opened June 30, 1951 with “When the Redskins Rode” picking that date simply to annoy the opening of the Caprock Drive-In that opening the same night. “Construction” had only started on June 1, 1951 and was “completed” at month’s end.
Advertisements continue through the end of its first (only) season with “Brave Bulls” on November 7, 1951. The theater has no more ads and no more mentions following that. The reason it’s not seeable on the 1957 aerial is that it was, like a circus, long gone after it’s season (first) ended.
Dan Pritchett launched the Caprock Drive-In Theatre on June 30, 1951 with “Winchester ‘73.”
The Border Theatre opened on June 7, 1947 by Scotty Levins.
Appears to have launched March 7, 1952 with “Fort Osage” and “Ghost Chasers” supported by cartoons.
The building at 111 St. Anna Street in downtown Stanton was a replacement for Texas Theatre “#1”. The post-War version is Texas Theatre “#2”
The Wagon Wheel started spinning May 1, 1951. But not at this address. This is the address for the Holiday Drive-In that opened in 1963 by the operators of the hardtop Lyric Theater in downtown.
The original Lyric Theatre held its grand opening on September 26, 1928 with “We Americans” on the big screen. Lyric #1 was located at 221 Main Street and converted to a retail store after its closure.
Grace and Wright Hale built the streamline moderne Lyric Theatre opening November 22, 1948 with the Palace Theatre continuing operation in the two-theater town until 1953. The Lyric converted to widescreen to show CinemaScope films In 1963, Wright and S.B. Hale, Jr., built the Holiday Drive-In returning Spearman to a two theater town.
The Marfa Opera House was where local residents saw their first films. The venue was first transformed into a movie house at the end of the silent era getting its Palace moniker / sound era name. The theater suffered a projection room explosion which destroyed both it and City Hall following its January 7, 1937 showtimes. Its current streamline moderne look occurred in a rebuilding of the showplace in 1937 by operator Oscar Korn launching as the Palace Theatre June 19, 1937.
The $35,000 Palace pened September 2, 1929 with “Broadway Melody”
Fiesta ads begin appearing early in 1951 - possibly its first season - as operated by Hodge’s H & H Theatres. The last ad for the Fiesta on October 30, 1967 “Africa: Texas Style!” likely at the end of its season. It appears to not reopen the following spring. The venue was rocked by a 1969 hail storm and high winds likely dooming the damaged property which purportedly was not operating at the time of the storm. It was later demolished.
The State Theatre was opened in 1937 by Homer Hodge at 106 South Main Street. Griffith Amusements operated it for a stretch with Hodge returning later. It was equipped with widescreen projection in 1954 to present CinemaScope films. The State closed on June 9, 1979. Homer Hodge offered the building as a donation to the City of Winters in 1981 (which it declined). The building was retrofitted as a professional building in 1983 and is used - as of the 2020s - as a retail building.
211 West Dale Street - Demolished in the late 1990s. Last film December 31, 1951 - “Cyclone of Fury.” Looks like Homer T. Hodge opened the Queen here in 1922. Installed sound on Mar 21, 1929 with “The Trail of ‘98” to remain viable.
Last advertised show was November 30, 1975 with “Race with the Devil.”