The Columbian Theatre facts for kids

The Columbian Theatre is a really old and special music hall located in Wamego, Kansas. It was built a long time ago, around the year 1900.

How the Theatre Began

This amazing music hall was built in 1893 by J. C. Rogers. He was a banker in Wamego. Mr. Rogers was super impressed by the huge and beautiful exhibits at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. This big event celebrated 400 years since Christopher Columbus explored America.

The Exposition was also known as the Chicago World's Fair. It was like a "White City" with 200 buildings spread over a very large area. The fair was open for six months. So many people visited that it was almost half the population of the United States back then!

Inspired by a Fairytale City

This magical fair was also the inspiration for L. Frank Baum's famous book, The Wizard of Oz. He used it to imagine his Emerald City. So, it's easy to see why Mr. Rogers wanted to bring some of that magic to Wamego.

He bought real art and decorations from the World's Fair after it closed. These special items were then used to design the Columbian Theatre.

A Place for Fun and Shows

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, music halls were busy places. They hosted community events, concerts, and plays. They also had fun costume parties and variety shows called vaudeville. The Columbian Theatre was a popular spot for entertainment in the local community.

Original Artwork from 1893

When J. C. Rogers bought items from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, he got a big collection of artwork. Some paintings were made with oil paints. Many others were created using a special type of paint called distemper. This paint was often used in Northern Europe.

There are still twenty original paintings from the Columbian Exposition in the theatre's collection today.

Large and Important Paintings

Six of the original paintings that hung in the theatre were part of a set of eight. The United States government had asked for these paintings to be made. Each painting is very large, about 11 feet tall and 16 feet wide.

An article from 1894 said that J.C. Rogers bought all eight paintings. They were from the rotunda of the Government building at the fair. No one knows where the other two paintings are now. These paintings were likely created by an artist named Ernest Theodore Behr.

• 

  East

• 

  West

• 

  North

• 

  South

• 

  Steel and Industrial Trades

• 

  Architecture and Building Trades

What Happens at the Theatre Today

The Columbian Theatre is still a busy place for theatre arts today. You can watch plays and musicals there. It's often a "dinner theatre," which means you can enjoy a meal before the show.

These shows take place in the beautiful Peddicord Playhouse. It has 288 seats and a special stage called a proscenium stage. Just like music halls in the 1890s, it has a flat floor.

The Columbian Theatre Museum and Arts Center is an active part of the Manhattan Area Arts and Humanities Coalition. You can find more about them online here.

Fun Facts

• The town of Wamego is now a center for everything related to L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz.