The Columbian Theatre facts for kids

The Columbian Theatre is a historic music hall located in Wamego, Kansas. It was built a long time ago, in 1893, and has a fascinating story connected to a huge event from the past.

How It All Started

This amazing theatre was built by a banker named J. C. Rogers in 1893. He had just visited the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair. This fair was a massive celebration of Christopher Columbus's journey to America 400 years earlier.

The World's Fair was like a magical "White City." It covered a huge area, about 633 acres, and had 200 buildings! Millions of people visited it over six months. It was so grand that it even inspired L. Frank Baum when he wrote about the Emerald City in his famous book, The Wizard of Oz.

Mr. Rogers was so impressed by the fair that he wanted to bring some of its magic back to Wamego. After the fair closed, he bought actual art and decorations from it. He then used these special pieces to design and build The Columbian Theatre.

A Place for Fun and Shows

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, music halls were busy places. They hosted all sorts of events. You could find community gatherings, concerts, plays, fancy masque balls, and exciting vaudeville shows. The Columbian Theatre quickly became the main spot for entertainment in Wamego. It was a lively center for everyone in the town.

Original Art from the World's Fair

When J.C. Rogers bought items from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, he got a special collection of artwork. Some of these paintings were made with oil paints. Many others were created using a unique type of paint called distempera. This is a traditional European paint often made with oil or animal glue.

There are twenty original paintings from the Columbian Exposition still in the theatre's collection today. Six of these paintings are very large, about 11 feet tall and 16 feet wide. They were part of a set of eight paintings ordered by the government for the fair. An old article from 1894 said that J.C. Rogers bought all eight of them. The artist who likely painted them was Ernest Theodore Behr.

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What's Happening Today

Today, The Columbian Theatre is still a busy place for theatre arts. It hosts many plays and musicals. A popular way to enjoy the theatre now is through "dinner theatre." This means you can come just for the show, or you can make it a full evening with dinner and a performance.

These shows take place in the beautiful Peddicord Playhouse. It's a theatre with 288 seats and 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 local arts community. You can find out more about them on the Manhattan Area Arts and Humanities Coalition website [1].

Fun Facts

• L. Frank Baum's famous story, The Wizard of Oz, has a special connection to Wamego today.