Sylvan Beach Pavilion

THE TOWN OF LA PORTE, DEVELOPED IN 1892, ORIGINALLY RESERVED A PORTION OF THE BAYFRONT FOR A RECREATIONAL PARK, KNOWN AS SYLVAN GROVE. FOLLOWING THE PANIC OF 1893, MUCH OF THE BAYFRONT WAS SOLD EXCEPT FOR 22 ACRES THAT WERE RETAINED AS SYLVAN BEACH PARK THAT BECAME, IN 1896, A PRIVATELY OPERATED AMUSEMENT PARK AND CAMPGROUND. A 1930s PAVILION, ONE OF THE LARGEST DANCE HALLS IN THE SOUTH, WAS DESTROYED BY A TORNADO SPAWNED BY THE 1943 HURRICANE. THE PARK’S PAVILION WAS NOT REBUILT AS WARTIME RESTRICTIONS CURTAILED NON-DEFENSE RELATED CONSTRUCTION. IN 1954, HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PURCHASED THE SYLVAN BEACH PARK AND COMMISSIONED THE HOUSTON ARCHITECTURAL FIRM OF GREACEN & BROGNIEZ TO DESIGN A MODERN, HURRICANE-RESISTANT DANCE PAVILION.

OPENED IN MAY 1956, THE SYLVAN BEACH PAVILION CELEBRATED THE PARK’S MUSICAL AND DANCE HISTORY WITH ITS ELEVATED OCTAGONAL GLASS WALLED BALLROOM CONTAINING A LARGE CIRCULAR WOOD DANCE FLOOR THAT APPEARS TO FLOAT ABOVE THE PARK. THIS MID-CENTURY MODERN PAVILION IS AN INTERPRETATION OF THE FREESTANDING, OCTAGONAL BUILDINGS BUILT BY GERMAN AND CZECH IMMIGRANTS IN TEXAS AS DANCE HALLS AND COMMUNITY GATHERING PLACES. SIGNIFICANT ALTERATIONS WERE MADE IN 1962 AND 1980. DURING ITS FIRST HALF CENTURY OF SERVICE, THE PAVILION ATTRACTED LOCAL AND NATIONAL TALENT OFFERING MUSIC VENUES RANGING FROM BIG BAND ORCHESTRAS TO COUNTRY TO JAZZ TO BLUES. THE PAVILION ALSO TOUCHED GENERATIONS OF HARRIS COUNTY RESIDENTS AS THE LOCATION OF SIGNIFICANT SOCIAL EVENTS INCLUDING QUINCEAÑERAS, PROMS AND WEDDINGS. THE SYLVAN BEACH PAVILION REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT MID-TWENTIETH CENTURY STRUCTURES IN HARRIS COUNTY