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Raging Fire Destroys Historic Central Texas Theater
Firefighters from more than a half-dozen departments battled a raging fire that destroyed the historic Texan Theatre in Hamilton Friday night and damaged several adjacent buildings.
Reporter: By Paul J. GatelyEmail Address: paul.gately@kwtx.com |
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29 Comments 
Photos 
HAMILTON (November 28, 2009)—The historic Texan Theatre in downtown Hamilton was destroyed Friday night by a raging fire that also damaged adjacent buildings.
Fire units from every Hamilton County department, as well as Jonesboro and Gatesville, in Coryell County and units from Erath and Comanche counties, battled the blaze into the early hours of Saturday morning.
Fire units and investigators remained on the scene at 110 South Bell St. as late as 10:30 a.m. Saturday cooling off hot spots and making a preliminary investigation of the scene.
The theatre building was located just a few yards from Hamilton’s City Hall and about a block from the Hamilton County Courthouse.
The fire was first reported at about just before 10 p.m. Friday and within minutes the blaze could be seen for miles.
The theatre had been closed during Hamilton’s high school football season and Friday was the first day the theatre was back in operation.
It is not known if anyone was inside the building when the fire broke out.
Emergency medical service units from Coryell Memorial Hospital System in Gatesville responded to Hamilton as a precaution and to offer aid in the event firefighters might be injured.
The 304-seat Texan Theatre was built in 1928.
Fire destroyed the original theater on May 9, 1949.
It was rebuilt in 1950 and increased in size to 500 seats.
Latest Comments
My first date was at the Texan Theater. My mother and father went on dates there. I was in plays at the theater. What was a Saturday night without going and seeing a movie while Mr. Guthrie made you a pizza. I took my children when they were babies and sat in the family room just as my mother did with us. Something my children will never have the chance to do with my grandchildren. It is something I will miss seeing when I go home to see friends and family. We should remember that we have lost a piece of our history and heritage.
Amen Kathleen!!!!!!!
I can't believe all the bickering, name calling and finger pointing. Are all of you 10. Hamilton, where I grew up and also spent lots of time at the theatre has lost something precious and an important part of the towns history, so give it a rest. Appreciate that other towns pitched in to help and offer support. They did not do it to get their name in the paper or on the news. Who cares who the current owners are they still suffered a loss. If you can't offer support then keep quiet.
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