COUNTY LIFE
Now showing: Texas Theater returns
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
The Texas Theater was established on the Saint Jo town square in the 1920s during an era of the first “talkies” led by “The Jazz Singer” and popular Saturday serials like “Rin Tin Tin.”
John Wayne surely ran many a head of cattle through the theater, while Greta Garbo’s sultry style filled the screen. Bugs Bunny followed Flash Gordon, not to mention all the gangster and monster movies filled the square.
Today the former dry goods store, theater and Masonic Lodge has been given life again as a theater bringing Hollywood to small town Texas.
The history
The theater is the creation of Craig Olden and Tom Weger, plus Weger’s daughter, Kate Clark and a team of creative craftsmen. Weger operates Coppell Construction in Saint Jo and has been active on the local business scene as the former owner of King’s Hotel on the town square
The theater building is on the west side of the square a few doors north of the Saint Jo Tribune. It operated as The New York Store, a dry goods store. Built in 1879 it was composed of two long, narrow buildings. Later it was modified into a theater in the 1920s,and in 1956 it was purchased by the Masonic lodge.
Used by the group for many years it was sold to Craig Olden around 2015. Weger says Olden bought it with the intention of doing something like the theater. The Masons had decided to downsize as far as a building was concerned, so the group purchased another building a few blocks way Weger assisted with renovating the new lodge building.
Olden and Weger began talking about the theater project as they both wanted to put it back into public use whether it be with movies which Olden liked or live theater which Weger liked.
Read the full feature in the weekend Bowie News.
The Montague County Commissioner’s Court will meet at 9 a.m. on Oct. 12 in the County Courtroom at the Courthouse Annex in Montague.
Commissioners are scheduled to consider issuing a proclamation declaring October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month within Montague County.
The court also will consider accepting $850 in unanticipated revenue for the sheriff’s office generated during National Night Out activities, alongside interlocal cooperation contracts between the Texas Department of Public Safety and Justices of the Peace for Precincts 1 and 2.
An executive session is scheduled to discuss personnel matters pertaining to sewer/septic inspector for the county. Any action would be taken back in open session.
The Oct. 9-11 Art of the Song Music and Art Festival opens Friday night for three days of art and entertainment in downtown Nocona.
The festival opens on Oct. 9 with a Chisholm Trail Art Association Preview Party from 5 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 9 at the H.J. Justin Building.
Come see all the entries for the adult show, which formally opens at 10 a.m. on Oct. 10.
Live music will be played by Full Circle Band.
Also on Oct. 9 enjoy a Nocona Nights Street Dance from 7 to 9 p.m. with the Mark Murphey and Highway 82 Band. Cost is $10 per ticket and $200 for a table seating eight. Bring your lawn chairs.
Read the full schedule of events for the festival in your Thursday Bowie News.
These students are nominees for the 2026 homecoming court at Gold-Burg High School. Homecoming royals will be crowned in pre-game ceremonies before the Bears take on Throckmorton at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 9. Pictured are: Freshmen: Kenzley Foster and Jackson Allen, freshmen; Yareli Aguirre and Jojuan Grace, sophomores; Zara Andrade, junior and Brayden Odom, Kaylie Duncan, both seniors. Not pictured: Caleb Epperson, junior and Keelyn Case, senior.
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