Historic Register Tour

HISTORIC NAME	Fox Theater
COMMON NAME	Fox Theater
DATE BUILT	1930-1931
ARCHITECT/BUILDER	Art Deco
PROPERTY STYLE	Chamber Reamer (Architect), Whitehouse & Price (Consulting Architects)
ON THE SPOKANE REGISTER	Yes--added 12/10/01
NATIONAL REGISTER	No
IN A DISTRICT	Yes--added 12/13/2001
DISTRICT	No
NEIGHBORHOOD	Riverside

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

The Fox Theater is historically significant for its cultural and social contribution to the Spokane community. Although movies had been shown in downtown theaters for some time, the construction of the Fox in 1930-31 marked the first time that a motion picture company had built its own theater in Spokane to showcase its own movies. The building represents the confidence of a major Hollywood film distributor, Fox West Coast Theaters, through its investment in a major motion picture house in Spokane as the nation entered the first years of a depression that would cripple its industries and put thousands of people out of work.

In addition, the Fox Theater is historically significant for its well executed Art Deco styling and as a representative example of the work of noted architect Robert Chambers Reamer. The theater interiors are also significant as the work of a master of interior decorator, Los Angeles designer Anthony Heinsbergen.