Ritz Theater - Houston, Texas
Posted by: 
JimmyEv
N 29° 45.718 W 095° 21.709
15R E 271633 N 3294747
The Ritz Theater, designed by William Ward Watkin in 1926, was one of Houston’s smallest theaters, but the only one remaining relatively intact. The theater hosted vaudeville, concerts, and motion pictures.
Waymark Code: WM3WR1
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 05/27/2008
Views: 19
Don’t be fooled by the sign out front - it’s from one of Houston’s grandest movie palaces, The Majestic Metro, long since demolished. The Ritz was a much smaller theater, built by the estate of Houston Mayor Thomas H. Scanlan.
William Ward Watkin, head of the Department of Architecture at Rice Institute from 1912 until 1952, used a colorful Renaissance design for this theater, quite a contrast to his other building in the district, the Art Deco Wilson's Building.
Main Street/Market Square Historic District
Next:
Baker-Meyer Building
| Previous:
Brashear Building
Source:
Texas Historical Commission, "Main Street/Market Square Historic District," available at Texas Historical Atlas