The Alameda Theater located on West Rice St. in Falfurrias was said to have been built by T. J. "Stout" Jackson, a strongman and music promoter from Robstown, Texas. From records that I found I believe someone else built it.

Jackson did have a carpa or large tent in Falfurrias during the 1940s where he presented Mexican movies and his variety shows of local entertainers as well as Mexican movie stars. The first carpa he had was behind the present location of the McIntyre Lumber Co. It was later moved to the area where the present Falfurrias State Bank is located.
On March 22, 1950 Jackson’s wife, Beatrice, bought lots 7-8 in block 4 including the Alameda Theater Building with all equipment from Bessie Lee Taulbee. Mrs. Taulbee had acquired the lots from Falfurrias Machine Shop around 1947-48. On May 12, 1948 the Taulbees sold the same lots to F. W. Willett of Nueces county for $10,000.00. The 1st National Bank of Itasca, TX. financed the note for Mr. Willett as he was having to make monthly payments of $208.33 for four years.
In 1948 when the Falfurrias Machine Shop sold to Mrs. Taulbee the tax base was valued at $1,500.00. When the Taulbees sold to Mr. Willett the following year, 1949, the tax base was valued at $10,630.00 leading me to believe that the Alameda was built around 1948 by the Taulbees. Mr. Willett must have defaulted on the note and the Taulbees picked it up as they later sold to Beatrice Jackson in 1950.
The Alameda was an important theater as this was the gathering place for the Mexican-American population of the area to gather and be entertained. Well-known Mexican movie stars such as Cantinflas and Pedro Armendariz performed there. Homero Canales of Premont recalls as a young boy living in Falfurrias, that an automobile with the actress Maria Antonieta Pons stopped at a gas station where he was at to ask directions to the Alameda. Canales’ mother, Apolonia Peña Canales, worked at the Alameda part time as a ticket seller, concession vendor, and helping out as a projectionist.
Canales also recalled watching movies with Rodolfo Acosta where the name of the ranch in the movie was named, Rancho Falfurrias and the well known actor Germán "Tin Tan" Valdés was also in a movie where he was known as El Campeón de Falfurrias. No doubt they recalled the unique name of Falfurrias.
Sadly the Alameda will be demolished in the near future but the memories of the good times will live on with the people of the area.

Note: The Heritage Museum has been given permission to save the beautiful tile work for future generations to view.