The Yucca Theatre
Midland, Midland County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Attracted by Midland's growing economy and the rapid development of the area's petroleum industry, T.S. Hogan announced plans for the construction of this facility in 1927. An oilman and former Montana senator, Hogan saw the need for a multi-purpose theatre to serve the growing population of the Permian Basin. He commissioned noted Fort Worth architect Wyatt C. Hedrick to design the structure. The result was an elaborate facade with intricate Gothic Revival detailing. The interior was designed by H. B. Layman of New York and features characteristics of the Egyptian Revival style. The Yucca Theatre opened on December 5, 1929, after two years of construction. The premier included a screening of the Hollywood musical "Rio Rita" and a musical comedy revue by the Jubilee Players of New York City. The versatility of the building's design made the Yucca Theatre suitable for a variety of activities. Despite the 1930s economic depression, it remained a popular place for traveling vaudeville shows, operas, recitals, and high school graduation ceremonies. Today it serves as a reminder of Midland's early growth as a center of the petroleum industry. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1981
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Riding Midland's oil-fueled growth, T. S. Hogan announced this multipurpose theatre in 1927 and hired architect Wyatt C. Hedrick, who gave it an elaborate Gothic Revival facade over an Egyptian Revival interior. The Yucca opened on December 5, 1929, with a screening of "Rio Rita" and a New York musical revue. Through the Depression it stayed busy with vaudeville, opera, recitals, and graduations, and it still recalls Midland's rise as a petroleum capital.
Why it matters
A lavish small-city movie palace shows how oil money bought culture and civic pride on the West Texas plains at the dawn of the Depression.
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Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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