The Music Hall at Fair Park, originally called "Fair Park Auditorium", was constructed in 1925 at a cost of $500,000. Over its doorway is inscribed a motto suggested by Alex Sanger and inspired by similar words found on the Frankfurt Opera House in Germany: "Dedicated to the Good, the True and the Beautiful." The style of the building is Spanish Colonial Revival. It was designed by the architectural firm of Lang and Witchell. After its opening, the Old Coliseum ceased to be used as an auditorium.

The Music Hall sits squarely on a piece of land that was once called "Cycle Park," later "Gaston Park." It is appropriately sited. Around the turn of the century Cycle Park was best known for its outdoor summer theatre.

Over the years the Music Hall has hosted innumerable concerts and live stage shows of all kinds. More stars of stage and screen than can be listed on this page have trod its boards. The first show, scheduled for the run of the 1925 State Fair, was originally supposed to be a successful Broadway musical, "Sky High." Unfortunately, difficulties with the musicians union resulted in the cancellation of the show. In its place, "The Student Prince" was staged. Despite some initial reluctance to buy tickets to this replacement, the show was a success.

During the run of the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition, the Music Hall became the General Motors exhibit hall. A year later, during the 1937 Pan-American Exposition, it was turned into a "Casino" - complete with Latin-American band.

Copyright © 1996-2012 by Steven Butler, Ph.D. All rights reserved.