Preserving Trinidad’s Cultural History
In 2018, The City of Trinidad purchased The Fox West Theatre, one of America's great undiscovered treasures. With support provided in part by History Colorado and partnering with Dana Crawford and Urban Neighborhoods, Inc. of Denver, Colorado, they have begun the preservation of this architectural and cultural gem for present and future generations to enjoy.
After over 100 years of private ownership, the theatre’s revival is now managed by The Fox West Theatre Alliance, a 501(c)3 organization, which has been organized to enrich the lives of residents of Trinidad and its visitors. The Alliance is also organized to oversee the rehabilitation efforts and manage the historic Fox West Theatre as a leading performance, educational, and gathering venue. The Alliance strives to strengthen and energize the community and to serve as a catalyst for cultural and economic growth.
A Rich History
Opened in 1908 as a venue for traveling Vaudeville acts, the Fox (named the West until the 1940s) was designed by the Rapp Brothers firm of Trinidad, and was funded by Ed West, a local cattle rancher. It seats 650 people and is Colorado’s only two balcony theatre. It boasts a seventy-one foot stage that has hosted a wide array of history’s famous performers, including John Philip Sousa, Mother Jones, Roy Rogers, Sitting Bull, Rube Welch, violinist Rubinoff, and many others. The theatre was fully converted into a motion picture theater in 1929, and was operated by the Sawaya family from 1959 until its closure in 2012.
