Pines Theatre
Why it's listed
Built in 1925 at 113 First Street South in Lufkin, the Pines Theatre opened on September 9 of that year with Gloria Swanson in "Coast of Folly." The Lufkin Amusement Company, which also owned the Palace and Victory theatres, built it to a design credited to W.P. Berry. The two-story masonry building has stucco and brick veneer at the first floor and a three-bay facade with a central inset entry. A stepped marquee of convex metal panels and a neon "Pines" sign dominates the front, and a semi-circular ticket booth sits near the entry. Inside, the ticket booth, billing display, stage, wooden folding seats, balcony, powder room, concessions area and ceilings remain largely intact. Ownership passed to East Texas Theatres, Inc. in 1935 and to T. L. Laird in 1950. Now used by a religious organization for a soup kitchen and revival services, it is valued as Lufkin's only surviving early downtown Art Moderne movie theatre and as a well-preserved example of its type.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an excellent example of an early movie theatre, with virtually all interior detailing intact. It is the only remaining early downtown Art Moderne movie theatre in Lufkin. Significance is architectural, at the local level.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 88002767, listed December 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 113 First St., South, Lufkin |
|---|---|
| County | Angelina County |
| Listed | December 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002767 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | W.P. Berry |
| Architectural style | Art Moderne |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | No longer used as a movie theatre; operated by a religious organization as a noon soup kitchen and revival center. Condition listed as fair. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.33866, -94.72889 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 88002767.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7195565
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.