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Category: Arts & Entertainment

Solidarity: Amazon Army Mural

by Chris Wilson

308 N Walnut St
Pittsburg, KS 66762
(620) 231-8110

Located inside the Pittsburg Public Library, this 10’x12′ mural features St. Barbara, the patron saint of coal miners, and a number of the wives, mothers and grandmothers of miners who organized marches on coal mines throughout Southeast Kansas, protesting working conditions.

Called the “Army of Amazons” by the New York Times, their efforts essentially shutdown some of the largest coal fields in the world at the time and even forced the Governor of Kansas to temporarily move his offices to Pittsburg’s historic Hotel Stilwell.

To learn more about the Amazon Army and the women that led them, be sure to visit other Crawford County attractions, including the Miners Hall Museum in Franklin, the Miners Memorial, located at 2nd and Pine in Pittsburg or the Crawford County Historical Museum, just west of Pittsburg on US-69.

This mural was commissioned by the Pittsburg Area Arts and Crafts Association and the Pittsburg Arts Council, and was painted by Wayne Wildcat.

Pittsburg Community Theatre

by Chris Wilson

503 N Pine St
Pittsburg, KS 66762
(620) 231-7827
PCTInfo.org

Founded in 1984, the Pittsburg Community Theatre provides multiple performances annually ranging from comedies to dramas to musical theatre. PCT conducts three shows and 15 performances annually. PCT offices are located inside Memorial Auditorium and performances take place at Memorial Auditorium. Visit our website for performances.

Miners Memorial

by Chris Wilson

200 N Walnut St
Pittsburg, KS 66762
(620) 231-8310

A tribute to those who settled Crawford County. Includes a pavilion and the Miner Memorial, a larger-than-life bronze statute of a miner accompanied by granite monuments inscribed with the names of miners who worked in the Pittsburg-Weir coalfields.

The purpose of Miners’ Memorial is to honor the work and lives of the coal miners in the Weir-Pittsburg Coal Field. Construction of the Miners’ Memorial has been accomplished with local and regional funding.

The Memorial features a larger-than-life-size bronze statue of an era miner. There are nine black polished monuments flowing in an arc to the right of the statue. The first stone is an interpretive marker on the south side, and accompanied on the north side with the map of the Weir-Pittsburg Coal Field. The remaining eight monuments contain the names of miners who have been submitted by their families and friends. A star beside their name indicates that the miner died as a result of working in the mines.

Across the street from Immigrant Park.

Memorial Auditorium & Convention Center

by Chris Wilson

503 N Pine St
Pittsburg, KS 66762
(620) 231-7827

Old meets new in this historic 1925 theatre with modern amenities. Check our website for upcoming theatre productions, ballets, vendor events, &; art exhibits.

The Memorial Auditorium & Convention Center is truly a community center providing an attractive, state of the art venue for the performing arts as well as a pleasant place to have a private gathering, fundraisers, meetings, small conventions, wedding receptions and more.

Kansas Crossing Casino

by Chris Wilson

1275 S. Highway 69
Pittsburg, KS 66762
(620) 240-4400
kansascrossingcasino.com

16 table games with 600+ slot machines. On site bar & restaurant. Regular live entertainment includes nationally touring artists, comedians & sporting events.

Featuring the newest and hottest slot machines, 16 gaming tables, a 123-room Hampton Inn and Suites®, restaurant, and an entertainment complex, Kansas Crossing has everything you need and want. Just a short trip from Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas, located at the junction of U.S. Highways 69 and 400 in Southeast Kansas outside of Pittsburg.

Harry Krug Gallery

by Chris Wilson

202 E Cleveland Ave
Pittsburg, KS 66762
(620) 235-4305
pittstate.edu/art/galleries-and-exhibitions.html

Juried artists are selected from portfolios representing all mediums in the University Gallery. Displayed contemporary art comes from the University Art Department faculty as well as contributors from all over the United States, local artists and from graduate students.

Graham's Castle

by Chris Wilson

601 Grandview Heights Terrace
Pittsburg, KS 66762

facebook.com/GrahamsCastle

In Pittsburg, Kansas, the unique architecture of the home at 601 Grandview Heights has captured the imagination of people passing by for generations.

In 1934, it was built on the outskirts of town with no running water, using an unusually shaped concrete roof to pool rain water, and built with recycled brick, concrete & steel – much of which was pulled from area mines – and a windmill with batteries generated and stored electricity.

Outsiders have called it “The Flying Nun House” because of its shape, but locally, it’s more commonly known as “Graham’s Castle”, named for its original owner and designer, Staneart Graham. Local historian Eugene DeGruson bought the home in the 1960’s and it remains in his family, though it was vacant for nearly 20 years. Its current owners occasionally open the home for tours, use as an Escape Room, and other events.

Galloping Horse of Gansu Sculpture

by Chris Wilson

500 E Ford Ave (southeast edge of University Lake)
Pittsburg, KS 66762
(620) 231-7000
PittState.edu

This larger-than-life bronze piece is along the southeast edge of University Lake. It’s a reproduction of an ancient Chinese sculpture made during the Han Dynasty (206 BC to 220 AD) and was a 100th birthday gift to the University from a dignitary in China.

Father Emil Kapaun Memorial Mural

by Chris Wilson

301A E Cleveland Ave St
Pittsburg, KS 66762
(620) 235-1138

Memorial to a Catholic priest from Kansas who served as a U.S. Army Chaplain during Korean War and was awarded the Medal of Honor; captured while choosing to remain with wounded men rather than escape; spent seven months in prison camp ensuring others survival as he himself fell sick and died as a POW denied medical assistance. A memorial for Father Kapaun is also located at the PSU Veterans Memorial.

Learn more at https://catholicdioceseofwichita.org/father-kapaun/

Downtown Pittsburg Artwalk Mural

by Chris Wilson

501 N Broadway St
Pittsburg, KS 66762

Pittsburg ArtWalk commissioned 6 Artists to complete a mural on the side of the 501 N Broadway building. Each artist had their own space on the wall to complete with the vague theme of “Your Downtown”. As with all art, it is open to interpretation by the viewer and the creator.

ArtWalk obtained a grant from the SEK ArtFest to help complete the 2nd phase of the mural, above the 6 spaces.

Many, many long hours went into the project. Artists even traveled from Omaha, NE to work on their portion.

We hope there is something for everyone in this project. Whether you call it “street art”, “fine art” or “mural” we hope you find joy in the vibrancy it brings to the heart of Downtown Pittsburg, KS

Thank you to the following artists, organizers and Sponsors:

ARTISTS:
Elizabeth Cosby
Camillia Fearmonti
Jenna Spencer
Bryan Lewandowski
Holly Kranker
Kelci Cooper
Amanda Smardo
Heather L Horton (assisted)

Organizers:
Roger Horton
Heather Horton
John Kutz
Kris Hartley
Kelci Cooper

Sponsorship:
CDL Electric
3M
TJ Lelands
JS Kutz Rentals & Construction
SEK Art Fest
Pittsburg ArtWalk

Coal Miner Sculpture

by Chris Wilson

200 N Walnut St
Pittsburg, KS 66762
(620) 231-8310

A tribute to those who settled Crawford County. Includes a pavilion and the Miner Memorial, a larger-than-life bronze statute of a miner accompanied by granite monuments inscribed with the names of miners who worked in the Pittsburg-Weir coalfields.

The purpose of Miners’ Memorial is to honor the work and lives of the coal miners in the Weir-Pittsburg Coal Field. Construction of the Miners’ Memorial has been accomplished with local and regional funding.

The Memorial features a larger-than-life-size bronze statue of an era miner. There are nine black polished monuments flowing in an arc to the right of the statue. The first stone is an interpretive marker on the south side, and accompanied on the north side with the map of the Weir-Pittsburg Coal Field. The remaining eight monuments contain the names of miners who have been submitted by their families and friends. A star beside their name indicates that the miner died as a result of working in the mines.

Across the street from Immigrant Park.

Colonial Fox Theatre

by Chris Wilson

407 N Broadway St
Pittsburg, KS 66762
(620) 235-0622
colonialfox.org

Experience the magic of this historic treasure and see firsthand restoration efforts of a classic movie palace! Concert dates & Tour requests available online.

Built in 1919, the Colonial Fox Theatre is nominated for its association with Pittsburg’s entertainment history and for its Italian Renaissance Revival architecture. Between the two world wars, the Colonial Theatre, as it was called before the 1950s, was one of several theaters that anchored downtown entertainment and nightlife in southeast Kansas’ largest city.

Centennial Deer Sculpture

by Chris Wilson

S Summit St & E Prairie St
Girard, KS 66743
(620) 724-6212

Dedicated on Girard’s Centennial Birthday February 28, 1868~1969: Dr. Charles H. Strong decided to go deer hunting and possibly locate the geographical center of Crawford County, which had just been established in Southern Kansas February 13, 1867. While hunting, a deer jumped up out of the grass and was shot by Dr. Strong who drove a stake where the deer fell; on which he placed a card and a bunch of grass stating that he had taken the land and Girard was to be located thereon; naming it in honor of his home town Girard, Pennsylvania.

Bicknell Gallery

by Chris Wilson

1711 S Homer St
Pittsburg, KS 66762
(620) 235-4536
bicknellcenter.com

The gallery’s high ceilings, flexible lighting grid and nearly 3,500 square-feet of display and work space provide incredible opportunities for artists and patrons alike. This space provides special exhibitions and also includes work space for an artist-in-residence and the flexibility to showcase multiple exhibitions at once.

Birger Sandzén Landscapes Gallery

by Chris Wilson

E Lindburg St
Pittsburg, KS 66762
(620) 231-7000

Landscape paintings “Autumn Symphony” and “Wild Horse Creek” by Birger Sandzén’s decorate the entrance foyer of McCray Hall on the campus of Pittsburg State University.

Sven Birger Sandzén was born in Blidsberg, Sweden on February 5, 1871. He immigrated to Lindsborg, Kansas at the age of 23 to teach at Bethany College. He taught French, Swedish, German and Spanish until 1899 when he become the principal art instructor at Bethany.

A true Renaissance man, he was the tenor soloist with the Bethany Oratorio Society (1896-1901 and 1903-1905) and gave many recitals with his wife, Alfrida Leksell Sandzén, a talented pianist. Sandzén was an accomplished writer as well, contributing articles and folktales to Swedish-American newspapers for many years. As a professional artist, Sandzén produced oils, watercolors, and prints which now hang in homes, schools and galleries throughout the United States.

In the early twenties and thirties he exhibited extensively, including two exhibitions at the Babcock Galleries in New York. In addition to his Kansas landscapes, he is famous for his paintings of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado, Utah and the Southwest. Birger Sandzén died in Lindsborg, Kansas on June 19, 1954.

Beverly Corcoran Art Gallery

by Chris Wilson

503 N Pine St
Pittsburg, KS 66762
(620) 231-7827

Located inside Pittsburg’s Memorial Auditorium, the Beverly Corcoran Gallery is a jewel within a jewel, and features the work of local, area artists and exhibits on loan from other galleries.

Individual artists and school classrooms are welcome to display their art for prominent viewing. Exhibits by some of the areas most talented artists are ever-changing. Expertly lighted and designed the Beverly Corcoran Gallery gives any art lover a great experience.

Arma Centennial Mural

by Chris Wilson

604 East Washington
Arma, KS 66712
(620) 347-4125

The Arma Centennial Mural depicts the rich history of Arma, Kansas. The mural was done by local painter Gary Lofts, who, along with his wife Susan, was the driving force behind the project. Dedicated August 8, 2009, the mural includes a miner, a mule used in the mines, a representation of the Missouri Pacific Railroad that operated in the area, the Mine Recovery Station, the local depot, a church, the local veteran’s memorial, a Model T owned by a local resident, and the school mascot. The piece covers a brick wall dating to 1907 and overlooks the site of the former Arma Hotel, which was demolished in the 1960s.

Arma Veterans Memorial

by Chris Wilson

N 5th St and E Washington St
Arma, KS 66712
(620) 347-4125
armakansas.org

Built shortly after World War II, the Arma Veterans Memorial honors local veterans through the joint support of the City of Arma and the Arma American Legion. The American flag and four flags of the armed forces – Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines – stand in front of the building. The memorial also includes a plaque representing the names of local veterans who have served the United States in war.

Arma also holds an annual V-J Homecoming celebration in recognition of veterans, with concurrently held alumni reunions and outdoor activities for families to enjoy.

The idea for the Veterans Memorial came after W.W.II. The American Legion wanted something to honor local veterans. The City of Arma did the construction. The structure was built shortly after the war. The City takes care of all the maintenance as well as adding any new names. Recently the City installed four new flags along with the American Flag. The 4 flags represent the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. The Legion paid for the materials and the City will take care of the flag replacements. The names on the plaque represent local veterans who have served our country in any war. Arma’s V-J Homecoming which began in 1946 celebration started as a way to honor veterans returning from World War II it has evolved over the last five decades into a family festival. VJ Day was August 15, 1945, the day the victory over Japan was celebrated by the Allied nations. In early August, the United States unleashed the secret weapon – the atom bomb- and devastated the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Rumors of peace began to circulate but many Americans feared that a final battle with Japan was inevitable. However, on the evening of August 14, the rumors were confirmed: Japan’s army agreed to lay down its arms and throughout the Pacific guns fell silent. There was a sense of collective relief when the impending invasion of Japan was unexpectedly cancelled by the advent of the atomic age. On September 2, 1945, on the deck of the battleship USS Missouri, the Japanese finally signed the official surrender document. Americans commemorated the official end of World War II with the first observance of V-J Day – “Victory Over Japan”. That Labor Day weekend marked the end of almost four years of devastation, loss and sacrifice for the nation. More than 300,000 Americans in the armed serviced died in Europe and the Pacific arenas. The very next year Arma celebrated it’s VJ Day in connection with homecoming activities and the VJ Homecoming Celebration was born. It has been said it is the oldest running VJ Day or WWII celebration in the country. This tradition has gone on since 1946. It celebrates the return from the war for local veterans. Each year the celebration is held the second week-end in August.