The century-old Pecos Theatre in downtown Santa Rosa, New Mexico, will hold a grand reopening Sept. 7-8 after more than $1 million in renovations and improvements.
The Communicator newspaper’s current print edition said the Guadalupe County Commission, which owns the theater, announced the event. The gala will include a block party with live music and free food.
Commissioner Albert Campos said at the county meeting he’d invited Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and other dignitaries, and it hopes to have more than 1,000 people attend.
The newspaper reported:
The block party will be on Saturday, Sept. 7, and include a drawing for at least 300 T-shirts to commemorate the event. On Sunday, Sept. 8, plans include three showings in inaugurate it as a movie house — although the theater is designed to facilitate plays, concerts, recitals and other events.
Theater manager Dennis Houlihan said he was able to get a circa-1918 photograph of the building “and it has the same exact facade as today, still intact 100 years later.” He said the theater comes with an improved stage, projection screen and sound system.
The theater committee also is negotiating with movie studios to secure a better selection of films. It also is hammering out details about concessions and tickets.
The Pecos Theatre sits along an original stretch of Route 66 on Fourth Street in downtown Santa Rosa. The county finalized its purchase of the venue in early 2017 after it closed in late 2010.
The theater opened in 1917. The last film screened at there was “Legends of the Guardians” in November 2010.
At the time of its closing, it was the oldest operating theater on Route 66. The Pecos began as the El Paso Tiempo, then was the Santa Rosa Theatre in 1920, the Kiva in 1951, the Rodeo in 1936, and finally Pecos in 1981.
(Image of the Pecos Theatre by Jasmine Sunshine courtesy of Richard Delgado)
The timeline in this (and earlier) articles struck me as a little odd, with Kiva (1951) coming before Rodeo (1936):
I wondered if Kiva’s year might have been a typo for 1931.
So this morning I looked at Newspapers.com’s issued of the Santa Rosa News (which includes only issues from 1935-77). I found these theatre mentions/milestones:
7 mentions of Kiva Theatre in 1935 (Oct 25-Nov 29). Example: https://www.newspapers.com/image/39221495
First mention of Pecos Theatre (1936-Oct 23): https://www.newspapers.com/image/38671367
Pecos Theatre is now under the management of Dollison Theatres (1948-Oct 29): https://www.newspapers.com/image/38671588
Les Dollison purchased Pecos Theatre from Carl Garner (1950-June 30): https://www.newspapers.com/image/38843472/
Last mention of Pecos Theatre (1963-Dec 26): https://www.newspapers.com/image/38671509
First Rodeo Theatre mention (1964-March 18): https://www.newspapers.com/image/39222241
Rodeo theatre new marquee (1977-March10): https://www.newspapers.com/image/39224270
Joe Romero, manager of Rodeo Theatre, presents Dollison College Scholarship award to local student (1977-June 10): https://www.newspapers.com/image/38671588
I realize that newspaper reports are not as reliable as legal filings, but it appears that the timeline might be … Kiva (1931?), Pecos (1936), Rodeo (1964) …
You are absolutely correct in your detective work on the timeline of the name changes through the years. I clearly recall the “naming contest” where the Pecos name was dropped in favor of “Rodeo”…I remember thinking at the time how much I hated the new name. I even recall the name of the boy who won the contest and was thus responsible for the hideous new name…his initials were “CN”!