Jones Theater

The Jones Theater is a historic movie theater and performing arts venue located on Main Street in Westcliffe, Colorado, United States. It is operated by the Westcliffe Center for the Performing Arts (WCPA), a not-for-profit organization incorporated in 1992. The theater occupies a brick building that dates back to the 1880s, when it originally served as a saloon and pool hall during Colorado's silver and gold mining boom. Over the decades it was converted into a movie house and later evolved into a community performing arts center. Today, the Jones Theater presents a full season of plays, music, dance, special events, and first-run movies. The WCPA also uses the adjoining Studio 2 space at 2nd and Main Streets. Its programming includes both new works and established favorites, spanning comedy, drama, melodrama, and one-person shows. The organization encourages new playwrights and offers theater classes and training each summer in cooperation with local universities. The theater is a cultural anchor in the Wet Mountain Valley and serves residents and visitors of Custer County. It operates as a not-for-profit entity governed by a board of directors, with community members serving in leadership roles. The venue's history is deeply intertwined with the mining heritage of Westcliffe and nearby Silver Cliff and Rosita.

The building that houses the Jones Theater was originally constructed in the 1880s as a saloon and pool hall by Casper Klutz. It was located in the part of Westcliffe known as "Dutch Row," an area settled by German immigrants. During Colorado's silver and gold mining boom, Westcliffe attracted thousands of young men hoping to find their fortunes in nearby mines such as the Geyser, Bassick, and Bull Domingo. While many buildings in the crowded mining town were destroyed by periodic fires, Klutz's saloon survived. In the 1920s, a Westcliffe man named June Canda purchased the building and began showing movies there. Canda also owned a grocery store and cold storage enterprise across the street, a large structure known today as "Grandma's House." Another entrepreneur, Harry Falkenburg, began showing silent movies accompanied on the piano by Cap Purdy. This arrangement continued for several years until, during a windy season, the roof blew off the Canda building. The theater continued to operate as a movie house through the 20th century. In 1992, Anne Kimbell Relph purchased the historic Jones Theater. That same year, the Westcliffe Center for the Performing Arts (WCPA) was incorporated, receiving its not-for-profit status the following year. Under WCPA's stewardship, the Jones Theater was transformed into a community performing arts center, hosting plays, music, dance, special events, and first-run movies. The adjoining Studio 2 space was also acquired for additional programming. Today, the Jones Theater remains a cultural hub in the Wet Mountain Valley, offering a full season of performances and year-round cinema. The WCPA continues to encourage new playwrights and provides theater training each summer through cooperation with local universities.

• 1993

  WCPA receives not-for-profit status.

• 1992

  Anne Kimbell Relph purchases the historic Jones Theater; Westcliffe Center for the Performing Arts is incorporated.

• 1920

  June Canda purchases the building and begins showing movies.

• 1880

  Casper Klutz builds the brick structure as a saloon and pool hall in Westcliffe's "Dutch Row."

Community-focused historic performing arts center and cinema in rural Colorado.

• First-run movies

• Live theater productions

• Music and dance performances

• Special events

• Theater classes and training

1. 1Home | Westcliffe Center for the Performing Arts | Historic Jones Theaterjonestheater.com
2. 2Jones Theater History | Westcliffe Center for the Performing Arts | Coloradojonestheater.com
3. 3About Us | Westcliffe Center for the Performing Arts | Historic Jones Theaterjonestheater.com
4. 4Jones Theater - Wikidatawikidata.org