Area less than one acre NRHP Reference # 86001888 Opened 1929 Added to NRHP 21 August 1986 | Built 1929 (1929) Designated CP August 21, 2003 Architectural style Neoclassical architecture | |
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Location 117 E. Cedar St., El Dorado, Arkansas Part of El Dorado Commercial Historic District (#03000773) | ||
The Rialto Theatre is a historic performing venue at 117 East Cedar Street in downtown El Dorado, Arkansas. Built in 1929 during El Dorado's oil boom years, the theatre is one of the best local examples of Classical Revival architecture, and is one of the largest and most elaborately decorated performing spaces in southern Arkansas. It was designed by the local firm of Kolben, Hunter and Boyd, and seats 1400. Its main entrance has Egyptian Revival details, and is flanked by storefronts. The brick of the front facade is laid in a basketweave pattern, and is topped by a stone frieze, cornice, and parapet. The interior of the theatre is elaborately decorated. The theatre was owned for many years by the McWilliams family. It was closed from 1980 to 1987, and was operated as a three-screen movie theatre until 2006. It has since been reconverted for use as a live performance space after being completely empty for a couple of years and serving as a bar for a time.
The theatre was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, and included in the El Dorado Commercial Historic District in 2003.