Rockport Texas - The History, Legends & Lore 1st Printing | Page 96

Austin Street & the ‘Surf’ Theatre in the 1950’s. The old ‘Rio Theatre’ was built in the late 1920’s, which was replaced by a new building in 1936. Its name was changed in the late 1940’s to the ‘Surf’, and it remained open until the mid-1950’s. Photo: Courtesy of the Aransas County Historical Society ‘Sorenson-Stair Building’ On Austin Street Simon Sorenson was an immigrant from Denmark, and in 1886 he purchased ‘Brunner’s Mercantile’ and built a 2-story building on the property. After a fire in 1895, the building was rebuilt as a 1-story. ‘Rockport Harbor’ On the north end of Austin Street. 95 ‘Cove Drive-In’ Just South of Rockport - it first opened in April of 1953. It was destroyed by Hurricane Carla in 1961 and it was rebuilt - destroyed again by Hurricane Celia in 1970, and it was rebuilt again. It finally closed in 1981 due to storm damage.