Photo by Andrew Sherman.
Not even four years after being named one of Preservation Dallas’ “Most Endangered Historic Places,” the Longhorn Ballroom has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The designation process has been in the works for 18 months, since the ballroom was purchased by Edwin Cabaniss with the goal of restoring the dance hall to its former glory.
“Preservation has always been one of the primary ethos of our company,” Cabaniss said in a statement Tuesday. “The goal was to not only highlight the venue’s historical contributions to the greater American musical canon, but to reestablish the Longhorn Ballroom as a cultural destination for present and future generations of artists and patrons.”
Longhorn Ballroom made the weekly NRHP list for Jan. 26 through Feb. 2. Being named to the register offers federal protections, tax exemptions and grant access for the property. It also signifies the second life Cabaniss has breathed into the ballroom.
The nomination to the register was prepared by Texas Dance Hall Preservation co-founder Steph McDougal with assistance from Dallas architect Marcel Quimby and Texas Historical Commission National Register coordinator Gregory Smith. McDougal said the restoration of the Longhorn Ballroom has been “yet another preservation home run” by Cabaniss, who also restored the Kessler Theater in Oak Cliff and the Heights Theater in Houston.
“The Cabaniss family is acutely aware that we are simply stewards of this legendary music venue,” Cabaniss said. “The National Register designation will help protect the Longhorn Ballroom for another 75 years.”
