Beauty of Stockton: The Bob Hope Theatre

The Bob Hope (Fox) Theatre in Downtown Stockton, built in 1930, was one of only two “movie palaces” in the Central Valley of California. Fox Theatres was a major chain of grand movie palaces that were built on the west coast primarily in the 1920s and 1930s. Stockton’s historic Fox Theatre was saved and lovingly renovated so that future audiences may continue to enjoy its beauty. Today the Bob Hope Theatre’s 2,042 seats are host to year-round live theatre, musicals, concerts, family events, a classic cinema series, and comedy. The Bob Hope Theatre is listed on the National Register of Historical Places and features a marble mosaic floor that encompasses a 2242 dquare foot space in the center of the lobby. This marble was imported from Italy, and the mosaic was designed by a Canadian artist. The Theatre also features a 1928 Robert Morton theater organ, which came from the Seattle Fox Theatre which closed over 40 years ago. This organ was restored and donated to the theatre by The Friends of the Fox, a volunteer organization that has been instrumental in preserving the theatre. Today the Bob Hope (Fox) Theatre is managed by ASM Global.
~ Content Courtesy of Visit Stockton

As a professional photographer, I’ve seen countless wonderful things about the city, and I finally decided to use my art to highlight them. Artists call it a “personal project,” and with social media, it’s easy to share images with many people. I named my project The Beauty of Stockton and committed to posting a stunning photo of one beautiful aspect of the city every Monday for at least a year. That’s at least 52 unique, artistically created images highlighting something beautiful about Stockton—a year of doing exactly what cities like Santa Barbara do: emphasizing the good.
The response has been overwhelmingly positive. The best comment I’ve received so far came from a friend who described scrolling through social media, seeing posts about crime, car accidents, and city politics, and then seeing one of my beautiful images pop up, which brought a smile to his face.
That’s my goal: helping to change the impression of Stockton, one smile at a time. 

You can view and share each week’s Beauty of Stockton post at: www.facebook.com/kevin.richtik or www.instagram.com/carolinephotography209

Caroline Photography
209-477-4363
www.carolinephotography.com
1755 W. Hammer Lane, Ste #3
Stockton