Big Bend History: Rare 1939 Photo of Children in Front of a Movie Theater in Alpine, Texas

This rare photograph, taken by photographer Russell Lee in May 1939, captures a moment in time when children gathered in front of a movie theater in Alpine, Texas. The photo offers a glimpse into the past and showcases the movie theater’s distinctive architecture and signage. The children, dressed in their Sunday best, are seen standing on the sidewalk in front of the theater, looking up at the marquee in excitement. The photo was originally captured on a nitrate negative and later transferred to the United States Office of War Information in 1944. Today, it serves as a valuable historical record of life in Texas during the late 1930s and provides a unique opportunity to step back in time and imagine what it was like to be a child growing up in this era.