The Rose
A Historical Landmark
The Rose Marine Theater began presenting Spanish language films to the community’s growing Mexican-American population in the 1920s. Segregation prevented a mixing of the races in the city at that time and the Rose Marine Theater became the cultural showcase of Mexican cinema, music and culture, attracting prominent artists from the 1920s to the 1960s. The theater fell into disrepair during the economic downturn of the 1970s, but with the help of Fort Worth’s first Latino City Councilman, Louis Zapata, the Rose Marine Theater was restored to its original glory during the revitalization of the city’s North Side in the 1990s. Listed on the National Register of Historic places and received national landmark status in 1999. The nonprofit arts organization Artes de la Rosa currently manages the property and oversees the gallery, theater and film series. Teatro de la Rosa’s youth outreach program was honored with the Coming up Tall Award by the White House in 2006. The Rose Marine Theater in Fort Worth’s North Side neighborhood is the cultural heart of the city’s Latino community.