CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — An iconic building near Corpus Christi's westside is the focus of a new exhibit at the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History.
A ribbon cutting was held Friday morning for that exhibit on the history of the Galvan Ballroom. The exhibit is called "Uniting a Community: The Galvan Ballroom Legacy."
94th District Judge Bobby Galvan was there for the ribbon cutting. His grandfather Rafael Galvan Senior, built the ballroom at Agnes and Crosstown in 1949.
It opened in 1950 and featured performances by a who's who of that eras jazz great.
Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey performed at the Galvan Ballroom. Other legendary performers who took the stage there included Gene Krupa and Duke Ellington.
Judge Galvan said anybody that was somebody played at the Galvan Ballroom.
He said the idea for an exhibit about the ballroom began when the museum called his family.
Museum officials said they were interested in doing an exhibit for their local history section.
Judge Galvan said his family was very excited about the project and they are pleased with how it turned out.
It features memorabilia, newspaper clippings, even musical instruments that tell the story of the Galvan Ballroom.
The musical instruments were donated by Judge Galvan's parents, Alicia and Bobby Galvan Sr.
The exhibit doesn't just tell the ballroom's story.
It also brings back memories for countless area families for whom going to the ballroom was a shared rite of passage, especially in the Mexican-American community.
"The ballroom has been a very special place for a lot of people in the community for a long time," Judge Galvan said. "People have had weddings here, their anniversaries here, their quinceaneras here, music festivals here and so you know I'm honored to keep the tradition going."
Judge Galvan said the ballroom is still open for business, you can still rent it, and musicians still use it for concerts.
This is not the first time the Galvan Ballroom has been recognized for its importance to the community. It was placed on the National Register of Historical Places and designated a Texas Hispanic Heritage Site in 2015.
