Colonial Fox Theatre

Even in these days of DVDs, cinema multi-plexes, and podcasts, a movie theatre evokes magic. That becomes much more the case when the magic of movies is combined with the magic of history, as it is in the Colonial Fox Theatre. Many local residents have fond memories of seeing films at the Colonial, and later at the Fox, Saturdays spent at the matinee, first dates, and special occasions.

The rich history of our theatre is part of the rich history of Pittsburg and the surrounding area. Pittsburg was incorporated in 1879 as the coal mining and smelting heart of the region. At the time, Southeast Kansas was the third largest producer of coal and smelt in the nation. Pittsburg is the largest city in Southeast Kansas, and is centrally located between Tulsa and Kansas City. Throughout its history, the theatre's life reflected the life of the community. For example, old-timers say that the streets of Pittsburg once rang with the sound of more than 50 different languages. The 1920s saw the heyday of coal mining, and immigrants came from the Balkans region of Europe, Italy, Germany, the British Isles, and beyond, to work in the coal pits. This cultural diversity gave Pittsburg a unique flavor that made its way into every part of civic life. When the Colonial Theatre opened, it was one of the first movie palaces of its era to be a showplace accessible to all classes; eventually, it was open to all ethnic groups as well.

Like most theatres in the 1920s, the Colonial was designed by local architects in accordance to styles established in large cities. According to The Pittsburg Daily Headlight, the Colonial was "constructed along the same lines as the Isis in Kansas City."

About Us

The Colonial Fox Theatre Foundation, a 501 (c) 3 corporation, is dedicated to reviving the historic Colonial Fox Theatre for the benefit of the southeast Kansas region and future generations. Specifically, the Foundation anticipates that revitalization of the Colonial Fox Theatre will have a transforming impact on Pittsburg's downtown district and the economic development of surrounding communities.

Founded in December, 2006 by five local general contractors, the Colonial Fox Theatre Foundation (CFTF) has grown into a organization of more than 300 community volunteers and sustaining donors. Foundation members have been driving the rescue and rehabilitation of the historic Colonial Fox Theatre since its inception.

The Colonial Fox Theatre Foundation envisions the theatre to be a unique showcase for human creativity, arts and culture. The Theatre will be a vital asset to a livable and visitable downtown community. We believe that the historic Colonial Fox Theatre is an irreplaceable social, economic, historic and cultural resource for the Southeast Kansas region. As an iconic, creative place of public assembly, it will build community loyalty, reinforce community identity and heritage, stimulate downtown revitalization, promote pride of place and anchor creative economies.

Since our establishment in December, 2006, the Foundation has made consistent progress toward the realization of our vision.

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