Alamo Methodist Church
Also known as: Church Theatre
Why it's listed
Built in 1912-13 at South Alamo and Wickes Streets in San Antonio, this brick church was designed by Beverly Spillman, Sr., with Loesberg and Reinbold as contractor. Its Spanish Mission-derived design features twin corner towers with pyramidal roofs, a set-back parapet, brick hood molds and stained glass windows. Inside, the red pine floor, pressed metal ceiling, curved pine pews and carved woodwork survive. Spillman also designed theaters, the San Angelo Hotel, part of the San Antonio City Market and a cement company office. The congregation declined, merged with another in 1975, and sold the building. It now serves as The Church Theatre, a nonprofit professional theatre and educational facility. The site lies in the King William Historic District and at a curve of the old Acequia Madre of the Alamo, an irrigation ditch system dating from the early eighteenth century. Exterior alterations are limited mainly to replaced doors.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a fine example of Spanish Colonial Revival (Spanish Mission derivative) architecture, suited to San Antonio's Spanish heritage. It was designed by a regionally prominent architect. It sits within the locally designated King William Historic District, and its corner marks the curve of the Acequia Madre of the Alamo.
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 79003446, listed June 11, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1150 S. Alamo St., San Antonio |
|---|---|
| County | Bexar County |
| Listed | June 11, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003446 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1912-13 |
| Architect / builder | Architect: Beverly Spillman, Sr.; Contractor: Loesberg and Reinbold |
| Architectural style | Spanish Colonial Revival / derivative of the Spanish Mission style |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In use as a theatre and educational facility (The Church Theatre); exterior largely intact with minimal interior alteration. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | King William Historic District |
| Coordinates | 29.41131, -98.49295 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 79003446.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4705964
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.