{"nrhp_refnum":"80004109","name":"Palace Theatre","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"209 S. El Paso St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"El Paso","county":"El Paso County","state":"TX","lat":31.757118869000067,"lon":-106.48918593899998,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1980-09-24","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A three-story brick theatre at 209 South El Paso Street in El Paso, Texas, built in 1914 and designed by Trost and Trost. It was originally called the Alhambra and is part of a group of commercial buildings by Henry C. Trost.","why_significant":"The nomination presents it as one of architect Henry Trost's most extraordinary stylistic expressions, with a facade of plaster arabesques and Islamic script. It is thought to be his only Spanish Colonial design with Moorish influences, and it predates the 1920s vogue for that style. It also served the film industry for most of its history.","narrative":"Opened on August 1, 1914, at a cost of $150,000, this three-story brick theatre at 209 South El Paso Street was designed by the firm Trost and Trost and first known as the Alhambra. Built to serve as either a live playhouse or a movie house, it originally had a large organ to accompany silent films. Its main facade features a projecting bay divided by columns and pilasters, topped by a deep cornice of Moorish arches. Plaster tracery of interlocking geometric and foliate motifs, along with Islamic script, covers the wall surfaces and gives an Eastern character. The ground floor has been altered, but much original material appears to remain beneath modern coverings. Inside, the lobby repeats the column-supported arches, and the auditorium has a balcony, opera boxes and seats believed to be original. It is regarded as Henry Trost's only Spanish Colonial design with Moorish influences, and it came before the 1920s popularity of that style. It continues to operate as a movie theatre.","period_of_significance":null,"architect_builder":"Trost and Trost","architectural_style":"Spanish Colonial Revival/Moorish","criteria":[],"status_note":"Currently in operation as a movie house; the ground floor has been altered, though much original fabric appears to be concealed beneath modern materials.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:18.665703-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/92/9688/40968892/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_TX/80004109.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/80004109/019047db42-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/80004109/019047db42-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Unknown authorUnknown author","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alhambra_Palace_Theater,_El_Paso,_Texas.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Unknown authorUnknown author</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alhambra_Palace_Theater,_El_Paso,_Texas.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/40968892","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alhambra_Theatre_(El_Paso,_Texas)","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4724447"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/texas/el-paso-county/palace-theatre-80004109/"}