Our People
Ellen Clark, Owner
Ellen Clark is a fifth generation Texan and lives on a former Indian camp ground with lots of wild life around her. A 1959 graduate of Lancaster ISD and Navarro College.
Ellen has always loved history. She set out to collect and copy old Lancaster pictures before families starting destroying them Mr. Dawson, former superintendent, worked with her and they transferred over 1500 pictures onto slides. The majority of them have people and places identified. As she gathered pictures she also collected these family stories.
In 1979 the History of Lancaster Texas 1845 to 1945 was published with several local citizens taking sections to write. Over 400 of the collected pictures were used in the book. Ellen compiled all the information and edited the book. Ellen worked with Judge Newton Fitzhugh, a local national recognized Historian, to write the stories that are on
plaques around the square, a well as getting correct information for 14 Texas Medallions, and 3 National Registry designations.
In 1994 a F4 tornado destroyed a lot of the older section of Lancaster including the town square. Town Square Realty, owned by Ellen Clark, was rebuilt and operating 6 months. It was constructed with the original bricks and architect style as the 1920’s building that blew down. Texas Down Town recognized as the best new construction in a down town in Texas.
Ellen and her husband Walter rebuilt two other buildings, renovated a damaged home and built a new home where one blew away. In December of 1995 they bought the White Bank building that was 90% destroyed for $5,000. This was Ellen’s great grandmother’s bank where she served as president in the 1890’s. After $500,000 and 18 months the building opened with four retail and five apartments. The exterior was a
duplicate of the original 1913 bank with the interior of the main office space a copy of the original bank as shown in old pictures. This building also was recognized as the best new construction in a Texas Down Town.
In 2023 Ellen purchased the Lancaster theater building and with Ken Arkwell it has been renovated and opened for the first show in October, 2025.
Kenneth Arkwell, Owner/Producer
Ken Arkwell grew up as a proud Air Force dependant of a 30+ year Air Force Chief Master Sergeant. In 1973, he joined the US Navy and was Honorably Discharged as a PH3 Naval Photojournalist in 1977.
In 1981, Mr. Arkwell became a Dallas based Independent Producer, producing films, videos, and commercials for Fortune 500 companies. A partial list of clients includes: American Airlines, Coke/PowerAide, Comedy Central, NASA, Paramount Pictures, Pepsi/Mt.Dew, Saladmaster, Six Flags Over Texas, mtvU, MTV, Comedy Central. Mr. Arkwell’s film credits include Executive Producer, Producer, Locations Management, and Art Direction on more than 25 features, shorts, and corporate image film productions.
In 1993, while maintaining this successful film business in Dallas, Mr. Arkwell opened a 4,000 square foot retail store in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Ancient Wisdoms was a showplace for new and ancient art from worldwide indigenous people.
In 2013 Mr. Arkwell, with a group of investors, purchased an old theater in Lancaster, Texas. The purchase of the theater was to use it “as is” as a shooting location. There was never an idea to renovate and open up as an operating theater…. until the City of Lancaster came calling!
Arkwell is a world traveler. His travels have taken him: from a Trans Siberian Rail trip in the dead of winter (before the collapse of the USSR) - to a month long trip up the Niger River to Timbuktu in the Sahara Desert - from every country in South America and Europe - to 49 states.
Ken is a Vegetarian and a proud supporter of Animal Rights and Individual Rights. He is an Animal Rescuer (rescuing far too many animals to count) and currently is the proud father to 9 Cats and 1 Blue & Gold Macaw. He is a supporter of PETA, the ASPCA, The Humane Society, The Human Rights Campaign, OUTMilitary, the Council on Ageing, and many Homeless Outreach Programs.