A nearly century-old downtown Denison theater that has drawn paranormal investigators with infrared and electromagnetic equipment; a featured stop on Red River Tours' Haunted Denison Ghost Tour #3
424 W Main St, Denison, TX 75020
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$
Ghost tour tickets through Red River Tours on Eventbrite or denisonlive.com; building not separately open for public tours
Access
Limited Access
Historic theater building; interior accessibility not confirmed for this older structure
Equipment
Photos OK
Historic downtown Denison theater building · Featured stop on Red River Tours Ghost Tour #3 · Documented paranormal investigation site in Grayson County
The Rialto Theater at 424 West Main Street occupies a position in Denison's downtown commercial strip that has seen considerable change over the past century. The building predates World War II and reflects the period of active theater construction that occurred across American downtowns in the 1920s and 1930s, when movie houses and vaudeville venues anchored local entertainment districts.
Denison's downtown along Main Street developed around the Katy Railroad depot at the east end and extended westward through several blocks of commercial architecture. The Rialto's position at 424 West Main places it in this corridor, and the building's age has made it a natural focus for local paranormal investigators who associate older structures with historical residue.
Local ghost hunters have conducted multiple sessions at the Rialto using infrared cameras and electromagnetic field (EMF) detectors. A report published by KXII television cited investigators who described the Rialto as producing some of the strongest paranormal evidence they had collected. The specific nature of that evidence was not detailed in available coverage.
Red River Tours includes the Rialto as a named stop on Ghost Tour #3, which pairs it with Barrett's — another downtown Denison location with a paranormal reputation.
Sources
The Rialto Theater's paranormal reputation in Denison rests primarily on the accounts of local ghost hunting groups who have used the building for formal investigations. KXII television reported on investigators who conducted sessions inside the theater using infrared cameras and electromagnetic field meters, and the investigators described the Rialto as producing unusually strong results.
The phrasing of their assessment — 'the best evidence ever' — reflects the enthusiasm typical of ghost hunting documentation rather than a specific verified phenomenon. The reported evidence type and content was not disclosed in the news coverage, leaving the specific nature of the investigation results undescribed in the public record.
Red River Tours includes the Rialto as a named stop on Ghost Tour #3 alongside Barrett's, suggesting the building has a consistent enough reputation to anchor a dedicated tour segment. The pairing with Barrett's places it within a broader circuit of downtown Denison locations with active paranormal traditions.
Red River Tours operates Ghost Tour #3 with the Rialto Theater as a named stop alongside Barrett's. The tour brings investigators into the building with opportunities to review paranormal evidence reports from previous investigations. Book through denisonlive.com or Red River Tours.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
Granbury, TX
The Granbury Opera House opened in 1886 on the town square. Ground-floor storefronts originally housed a saloon, a saddle shop, and a grocery store, while the upper floor hosted vaudeville and theatrical performances. After decades of decline, the Granbury Opera Association acquired the building in 1972. A $3.5 million renovation completed in 2012 restored the theater to operational condition, and it has been home to the Granbury Theatre Company ever since.
El Paso, TX
The Plaza Theatre opened September 12, 1930 on Pioneer Plaza in downtown El Paso. Developer Louis L. Dent commissioned the Spanish Colonial Revival movie palace in 1927, and the inaugural night drew a crowd of 2,410. Its lavish interior was designed to evoke 'the fabled beauty of Old Spain and the charm of Old Mexico.' After decades of decline, the theatre was extensively restored and reopened as a performing-arts venue, now home to the Plaza Classic Film Festival and a wide range of touring performances.
Tucson, AZ
The Fox Tucson Theatre opened on April 11, 1930, as a combined vaudeville and movie house. After closing in 1974 and standing vacant for 25 years, the building was purchased in 1999 by the non-profit Fox Tucson Theatre Foundation for $250,000 and reopened in 2006 following a multi-year, multi-million-dollar restoration.