The Kay Theater

In 1947, E. L. Bryan and the Foy Arrington family bought a surplus Quonset Hut, one of thousands of the all-purpose metal buildings made during World War II. The hut was moved to Rockdale to become the core of the second movie theater in town. Local carpenter Jack Kyle, Sr. Directed several Rockdale high school students to build the sloping concrete floor and façade for the streamline moderne-style Kay Theater, named for the Arringtons’ daughter, Katherine. A half-cylinder of corrugated steel sheets forms the walls and roof. The entry includes a stepped plaster wall outlined in neon, an entry drum of plaster and glass blocks, paired double doors, a central sign and large letters spelling K-A-Y on each side of the rotunda. The owners, Mr. and Mrs. Foy Arrington, said the Quonset Hut architecture “lends itself naturally to excellent acoustics and a pleasing interior appearance.” Construction of the Kay Theater was completed in time for a Thanksgiving 1947 opening. At a dedication ceremony the next night, postmaster Clyde Franklin was master of ceremonies and mayor J. B. Newton introduced “rolling home,” starring Russell Hayden, Jean Parker and Raymond Hatton. Large box fans made the theater one of few air conditioned locations in town. Mr. Arrington manned the ticket booth and was the projectionist, and his wife managed the concessions. As with similar facilities at the time, African American patrons walked upstairs to separate balcony seating. The kay theater closed in 1962 and was vacant for many years before restoration began in 2004 through the Kay Theater foundation. Today, the last remaining theater in Milam County recalls a time when going to the movies was a cultural event and central to the social life of many young people. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2013

The Kay Theater is a historical marker in Rockdale, Milam County, dedicated in 2013. It is one of 88 historical markers documented in Milam County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 151 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 30.6572, -97.0021 near Rockdale. The nearest cataloged historic site is George Sessions Perry (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include First Christian Church of Rockdale, City of Rockdale, and Matinee Musical Club.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507017630. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.