The once grand and ornate Saenger Theater opened to great fanfare on November 17, 1924. Dubbed ldquo;The Showplace of the South,rdquo; the 1,700 seat theater had checkered Italian marble, elaborate chandeliers and a massive pipe organ. During its heyday, the Saenger welcomed performances from entertainers like Judy Garland, Will Rogers and Harry Houdini.br/ br/The Saenger brothers built 300 theaters across the country, of which only about 100 remain today. Two other Saenger Theaters were built in Arkansas, in Hope and in Helena. But both of those theaters were torn down and lost decades ago. br/ br/Pine Bluffrsquo;s Saenger Theater closed in 1975. The ensuing decades of abandonment have not been kind on the structure. Water pours through holes in the roof every time it rains. The ornate crown molding is cracked, the plaster is peeling off in chunks, and the orchestra pit is flooded with murky water. Part of the plaster wall has collapsed onto the horseshoe shaped balcony, and vandals and thieves have defaced and damaged parts of the structure. In 2019, it was named one of the state's Most Endangered Places by Preserve Arkansas.br/br/ br/ Taken: 2016