Balinese Room facts for kids
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Balinese Room
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Formerly listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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Balinese Room in 2006 before its destruction by Hurricane Ike
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 Balinese Room
Location in Texas
Balinese Room
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2107 Seawall Blvd., Galveston, Texas |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1942 |
| Architect | Raymond R. Rapp |
| Demolished | September 13, 2008 |
| NRHP reference No. | 97000258 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 2, 1997 |
| Removed from NRHP | January 8, 2009 |
The Balinese Room was a very famous club in Galveston, Texas. It was built on a long pier that stretched 600 feet (183 meters) over the Gulf of Mexico. For many years, it was a popular place for dancing and playing games of chance.
The club was run by two brothers, Sam and Rosario Maceo. They were known for secretly bringing in alcohol when it was against the law. The Balinese Room was a top spot in the 1930s and 1940s. Many famous entertainers performed there. These included Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, George Burns, and the Marx Brothers.
Important guests like Howard Hughes and wealthy oil business owners from nearby Houston, Texas visited the private club. In 1997, the Balinese Room was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it was recognized as an important historical site. The rock band ZZ Top even wrote a song about the club called "Balinese."
Sadly, on September 13, 2008, the building was completely destroyed by Hurricane Ike.
Contents
The Balinese Room's Early Days
The Maceo brothers first took over a small restaurant in 1929. They called it "Maceo's Grotto." This was one of many fun places that opened along the Galveston Seawall. Some of these places had secret games of chance.
In 1932, the "Grotto" was changed into a Chinese restaurant called "Sui Jen." A 200-foot pier was added, reaching out over the Gulf. This made it easy for guests staying at fancy hotels nearby to visit the club.
From Sui Jen to Balinese Room
The club's name changed to the more exciting "Balinese Room" in 1942. This happened after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The inside of the club was decorated to match this new, exotic theme. The pier was also made longer, reaching 600 feet.
The Balinese Room had a special back room with modern equipment for playing games. The Maceo brothers invited people to "Come Down and Play on Galveston Island."
The Margarita Story
A fun story from the Balinese Room is about the Margarita drink. Some say the head bartender, Santos Cruz, invented it in 1948. He supposedly made it for singer Peggy Lee and named it "Margarita," which is the Spanish version of her name. However, there are other stories about where the Margarita really came from.
Challenges and Closure
The secret games of chance at the club made it a place where powerful groups operated. Everyone knew the club was breaking the law. But the Maceo brothers had many friends in local government and with the police. Because of this, they were rarely charged with anything.
The "Rangers Run"
In 1956, Will Wilson became the Texas Attorney General. He promised to "close down Galveston" and its secret game rooms. He used the Texas Rangers to help him. The Rangers often raided the Balinese Room.
But their efforts were often stopped by the long pier. This was known as the "Rangers Run." By the time the Rangers ran to the end of the long club, all the game tables, cards, and chips would disappear. They were hidden in secret wall and floor compartments! The band would often start playing the song "The Eyes of Texas" when the Rangers arrived.
Later, the Rangers tried a new plan. They simply sat in the club all day, every day. This made customers nervous, and fewer people came. The club still stayed open.
Finally, the Rangers sent an undercover officer, Clint Peoples. He pretended to be a customer and saw the games being played. This helped the Rangers seize the game equipment. The Balinese Room finally closed its doors on May 30, 1957.
Later Years and Destruction
In 1961, Hurricane Carla damaged the building. Many of the supports for the pier were washed away. Over the next few years, the building continued to fall apart.
In the 1970s, an oil businessman named Johnny Mitchell bought the Balinese Room. He turned the game room into a dinner club and disco. Many famous people performed there during these years.
After Mitchell passed away in 1996, the Balinese Room eventually became property of the State of Texas. A local lawyer, Scott Arnold, leased the pier for 60 years. In 2001, he reopened the Balinese Room. It was used for live music, parties, and dining. The pier also had shops and a massage room with a glass floor.
Much of the original building and decorations had changed over time. But the South Seas style inside the large ballroom was still there. It was restored to look like it did in the 1940s. The long hallway of the pier was filled with signed photos of past performers and other cool items.
Hurricane Ike's Impact
On September 12, 2008, Hurricane Ike was heading towards Galveston. The storm surge caused waves to crash over the Galveston Seawall. Water and debris covered Seawall Boulevard.
Later that night and early the next morning, Hurricane Ike hit Galveston directly. Even though the pier was higher than the seawall, the storm's powerful waves and wind were too much. The 79-year-old building, which had survived many other hurricanes, was completely destroyed. After the hurricane passed, only pieces of wood, rubble, metal, and the famous red door were left.
See also
