Augus Theatre
San Augustine, San Augustine County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Constructed in the 1920s by prominent citizen E. H. Blount, this building was originally divided for three businesses including a barber shop. The structure is best known for the August Theatre, operated by William M. Wade, which moved into the central portion in 1927; it was expanded in 1933 and occupied the western two-thirds until 1972. The Wade family continued to operate the theatre, a major social center of San Augustine, until the late 1960s. Russell Lee photographs taken in the 1930s assured the authenticity of a 1990s renovation. The structure continues to reflect a commercial building of the 1920s. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1998
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Built in the 1920s by prominent citizen E. H. Blount, this commercial building first held three businesses before the August Theatre moved into its center in 1927 and grew to fill most of the block. Operated by the Wade family, the theatre became one of San Augustine's great social gathering places through the mid-twentieth century. Depression-era photographs by Russell Lee later guided an authentic 1990s restoration of the storefront.
Why it matters
It preserves the small-town movie house as a hub of American community life, and its restoration was anchored by the documentary photography of the New Deal era.
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Related people
- · E. H. Blount
- · William M. Wade
- · Russell Lee
Themes & tags
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