Border Theater
Why it's listed
Border Theater is a movie house at 905 North Conway Boulevard in downtown Mission, Texas. Opened on April 3, 1942, it was built by theater operators Robert N. and Dell Smith as the flagship of their South Texas chain. Dallas architect William J. Moore designed the wood-frame, brick-veneered building, which is covered in stucco with projecting vigas and heavy timber lintels typical of Pueblo Revival style. The 500-seat auditorium holds murals painted in 1942 by E. Risser, depicting covered wagons, a mission and Hispanic homestead scenes, originally highlighted with fluorescent paint. The theater served soldiers from nearby Moore Army Air Corps Field and local residents during World War II, and it was the only movie house in the Valley with air conditioning throughout at the time. It remains the only theater built in Mission's historic period still operating, and it keeps a high degree of integrity despite changes to its entry canopy.
Significance in brief: The theater was the flagship of a South Texas theater chain and entertained soldiers from nearby Moore Army Air Corps Field and local residents during World War II. It is a rare surviving example of Pueblo Revival styling in a town dominated by Spanish Colonial Revival. It is significant locally for Entertainment/Recreation and Community Planning and Development.
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 98001124, listed August 28, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 905 North Conway Blvd., Mission |
|---|---|
| County | Hidalgo County |
| Listed | August 28, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98001124 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1942-48 |
| Architect / builder | Moore, William J. (architect); Holliday, George (builder) |
| Architectural style | Other: 2-part commercial block; Late 19th and 20th century revivals: Pueblo |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Entertainment/Recreation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still operating as a movie theater; interior relatively unaltered, with a canopy replaced in the early 1990s. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 26.21530, -98.32601 (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 98001124.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4944615
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.