The-FOTC - True Friends in the Valley

The-FOTC - True Friends in the Valley Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from The-FOTC - True Friends in the Valley, Charleroi, PA.

There were visions of what could have been .... Once upon a time ....
02/10/2026

There were visions of what could have been ....
Once upon a time ....

05/24/2025

History .... and what it stands for .... personifies the character of a whole community. The Coyle was built in 1891 as "the Opera House", being managed by Robert L. Barnhart in early 1892. Originally, it was only on the 2nd Floor and attendees had to climb a long set of exterior stairs to enter. Before 1927 when a major addition was added to the South side, changes had been made and a new first floor entry had been established. This was the first site dedicated to keeping the people here entertained and to have something to see, think about and do .... besides frequenting a bar room, loitering on the streets or getting into a row with someone. Eventually, the demand for such kind of family oriented entertainment was realized in multiple sites in Charleroi making provision for those who enjoyed it. That was part of the attraction when people wanted to shop, eat out and take in some safe, enjoyable entertainment where they could take the whole family! Other theaters have closed in Charleroi over the years, but the Coyle remained .... it was still providing some entertainment till 1999. Other historic theaters have disappeared and/or been deconstructed over the years .... so that this last, still intact, restorable historic theater is the only one remaining in the Mid Mon Valley and in Washington County! And Charleroi has it. Efforts to meet Boro notifications and to move this project ahead were made - via much volunteer labor and contributions - as late as Nov., 2015. The efforts to Save the Coyle for diverse forms of family oriented and community entertainment continue .... for Charleroi, the Mid Mon Valley and Washington County. Isn't it interesting that the first theater here is the only one left? Go here for more information: https://www.gofundme.com/25x77cws

08/22/2023

Thank you to all the Charleroi volunteers who put their heart, hands and pocket books into their 1 and 1/2 years of dedication, even till the end.

08/22/2023

1908 - Remembering the Coyle & the Calistri buildings next door .... the corner building - according to our records - was the first brick building that was built in Charleroi, the middle one came later after the Calistri enterprises began building and expanding to the fame that it did.

A point of history - sometime after 1999, the Mon Valley Cultural Trust had control/ownership of the Coyle till in Dec. of 2015, and the theater went "dark" (not open) in 1999.
The Coyle - according to the documentation that the CAHS, Inc. has .... was built in 1891, opened under the management of its Architectural designer, R. L. Barnhart (till he built and opened his own movie house - the Electric Theater) .... constructed by Walter S. Rockwell, Sr., as an Opera House, transitioned into a Vaudeville House, then a movie (flicker or "the flicks") house, then was enlarged and renovated in the 1920s, becoming a movie house with state of the art projectors of that time, with an Art Deco exterior and a Romanesque interior, being re-opened to the public, operated from then onto 1999.
Later, a Cultural Trust formed by which much fundraising was done to purchase the theater, and grants were obtained to purchase the two adjoining Calistri buildings to be an expanded part of the Coyle Project site. Continued community efforts were made to meet Boro demands and pressures over the years to continue the Coyle Project in pursuit of its being re-opened and put to use for the community, because it is the last still-intact historical landmark theater of its kind in Charleroi, the Mid Mon Valley and Washington County, located in a National Register of Historic Places Historic District of Architecture as nominated and officially accepted by the State of Pennsylvania and the Department of the Interior and National Park Commission, therefore, making it (and the whole Historic District) .... eligible for Federal grants as well as State Grants when they come available.
The Coyle is the site of "central attraction" (hub/anchor) for the Historic District.

08/22/2023

Things are looking up at the Coyle Theatre!

Address

Charleroi, PA
15022

Telephone

(724) 483-4961

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The-FOTC - True Friends in the Valley posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share