🌟 When the Fox opened in 1930, its rectangular marquee was framed by Art Deco touches on the walls above and below it, and the magnificent FOX sign over it became a highly visible landmark up and down Congress Street 🌆 This original marquee was replaced in 1940 by a more ‘modern’ marquee, that was decked out in neon lights and whose triangular form extended over the sidewalk. The metal from the removed marquee was used to build airplanes in World War II! ✈️ Once the theatre closed in 1974, the 1940’s addition began to decay, and by the mid-1980’s it had to be removed due to safety concerns. As the restoration of the Fox kicked into gear in the early 2000s, one of the first big projects was to restore the marquee, FOX sign, and entryway to its original 1930’s glory ✨ While marquee lightings typically happen just before a theatre’s opening, the restored marquee (and all 676 bulbs of the new FOX sign) were fired up in 2002—a few years before re-opening. This way, they could serve as a beacon to Tucsonans 🌵reminding us of where we came from and where might be heading with enough support for this beloved theatre. Today, the Fox sign and marquee remains a vibrant, glowing landmark of downtown Tucson and pays homage to our community’s past, present, and future! 🔮 Thanks to the King Family (Winner of our 7k Instagram Giveaway) for their beautiful message & stopping by to enjoy a piece of Tucsons history 🫶 #downtowntucson #historylesson #arizonahistory #tucson