Volume 020-1 - January 1966 (2 pages)

its most iilustrious daughter, Emma Nevada. Miners and townspeople greeted her as she stepped from the Narrow Guage train; the band played ‘Home Sweet Home.”’ She was escorted in grand style to the National Hotel, where her room, number 11, was filled with flowers and momentoes. She waved to the crowd of admirers from the hotel balcony when the band played ‘Auld Lang Syne.” To rest her voice, Emma Nevada had iearned the hand movements of the mute, and the following day remained quietly in her room. That evening the Nevada Theater was packed to the doors and when the tiny diva stepped between the drapes a roar of applause greeted her. Costumed in soft sky-blue lace and holding a fullbloomed pink rose in her hands, her magnificent voice held the audience in an enchanted spell. When she closed the program with her favorite song, ‘‘The Last Rose of Summer”’, the crowd went wild. Many minstrel shows and dramatic groups visited the theater, the most famous were the incomparable Ellefords, appearing with a repertoire of plays, one for each night of the week, and a carload of scenery and stage settings. Community organizations put on many an ambitious play; the Laurel Players, a dramatic group of the Native Daughters of the Golden West, were a popular favorite. The Junior Class Play and the Senior Farce were annual high school productions. It may be said one is an old timer if they remember reserving theater seats at Foley’s Candy Store. A diagram of the seating arrangements framed in glass was dotted with paint as seats were reserved and then sponged clean to be made ready for the next theatrical attraction. The beginning of the end of those wonderful days when make-up was carefully applied in the basement dressing rooms, when flats and wings were arranged into the most exotic scenic effects and pullied curtains or drops responded to the slightest touch, came with the advent of motion pictures. There are only memories now of standing in the wings while Dick Goyne, Billy Grimes, Herman Brand, and the Rector brothers tuned up their instruments in the orchestra pit. The show was on, and it was time to face the footiight and a sea of friendly faces. NEVADA CITY'S MOTION PICTURE THEATERS Motion pictures were shown in the Nevada Theater for the first time in February, 1908. A month Jater a movie house was ready to show films exclusively. Crystal Theater, 1908: Nevada City’s first cinema was located on Commercial Street, now occupied by the Idea Workshop. The opening date was March 24, 1908. Hours before starting time, long lines of people waited to gain admission to this novelty. Films in those days were one reelers and five or six different titles were shown in an evening. Each performance included an illustrated song for a vocalist or the audiience. On the opening night of the Crystal Theater, Supervisor Bennetts sang ‘‘Ben Bolt.” During the time Nevada City’s first movie house was in use, the Nevada Theater was remodeled in order to handle both motion pictures and vaudeville acts. In February 1909, the Crystal Theater closed and the chairs were moved to the Nevada Theater. Films were shown along with theatrical attractions on the large and modern stage. The Broadway Theater, 1909: The Broadway movie house located across the street from the National Hotel became the only cinema in the town. W. J. Gribben, manager of the Nevada Theater, sold his interest in motion pictures to the Broadway group. He also sold his interest in the Nevada Theater and moved away. Perhaps the responsibility of handling such rival forms of entertainment discouraged him from continuing in either. The Broadway was a remodeled livery stable; its present site being a part of the Alpha Store. The price of admission for adults was .10 and for children, .05. The aroma of hay and horses, free! The Gem Photo Theater, 1915: The Crystal Theater on Commercial Street was renovated and re-opened on April 14, 1915. An attractive front was added and the latest type of gold-screen curtain procured for the interior. The Gem had weekly showings but did not last through the year. It closed because of its limited size. The Nevada (Cedar) Theater, 1915: Later remodeling of the Nevada Theater included a slanted floor and the addition of electric lights. With the closing of the Broadway and Gem Theaters, special pictures were again seen at the Nevada Theater, until gradually weekly showings became the rule. As the legitimate show slowly bowed to the more popular form of entertainment, features appeared regularly. The showings reached a pinnacle in the 1920 silent-screen days, under the able management of a company headed by William Tamblyn and George Calanan. The piano player for silent films was as important as the moving picture itself, The ‘Fire Engine March” caused the audience anxious and exciting moments, while the rendering of ‘‘Hearts and Flowers” could tear one’s heart apart. Mrs. Davenport, the pianist, was an expert at fitting bits of musical selections to the film. Sound came in 1926, but four years passed before films were converted to alltalkie productions. It was the death knell of silent pictures. The Nevada continued to show motion pictures as the Cedar Theater until the advent of television forced its closing in 1958. Through the efforts of the Nevada City Liberal Arts Commission and the people of the Community, plans are being made to acquire, refurbish and restore the vacant landmark as a community center. HELP TO PRESERVE OUR COUNTY’S IMPORTANT AND ROMANTIC PAST — JOIN THE NEVADA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Membership only $1 per year — Payable January Ist each year Send $1.00 to Esther Hartung, 303 South Church St., Grass Valley The Nevada County Historical Society June, July and August. meets first Thursday of each month except 1966 OFFICERS OF THE NEVADA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY President—Mrs. Richard Shoemaker, Rt. 1 Box 875, Grass Valley, Phone 273-7026 Vice Pres.—Albert Johnson, 202 North Pine Street, Nevada City, Phone 265-4760 Secretary—Miss Esther Hartung, 303 South Church St., Grass ‘Valley, Phone 273-6830 Treasurer—Mrs. I. A. Creegan, P.O. Box 704, Nevada City, Phone 265-2996 Past-President—Mrs. Isabel Hefelfinger, 430 Washington St., N. C. Phone 265-2979 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Grass Valley—Danae Hubbard, Gunnar Williams, Steve Chileski. Nevada City—Retha Downey, Adelaide Elliott, Richard Nickless. County-at-Lange—Harry Hyatt, John Tremewan, Sibyl Leuteneker. BULLETIN EDITOR—Sibyl Leuteneker, P.O. Box 13, Chicago Park, Phone 346-2494 VISIT THE NEVADA COUNTY ‘HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM Located at the Corner of Main and Commercial Streets, Nevada City. Open 1t A.M. to 5 P.M., Every Day, June through August. Winter season by appointment—phone Caretaker, Richard Nickless, 265-2424.

its most iilustrious daughter, Emma Nevada. Miners and townspeople greeted her as she stepped from the Narrow Guage train; the band played ‘Home Sweet Home.”’ She was escorted in grand style to the National Hotel, where her room, number 11, was filled with flowers and momentoes. She waved to the crowd of admirers from the hotel balcony when the band played ‘Auld Lang Syne.” To rest her voice, Emma Nevada had iearned the hand movements of the mute, and the following day remained quietly in her room. That evening the Nevada Theater was packed to the doors and when the tiny diva stepped between the drapes a roar of applause greeted her. Costumed in soft sky-blue lace and holding a fullbloomed pink rose in her hands, her magnificent voice held the audience in an enchanted spell. When she closed the program with her favorite song, ‘‘The Last Rose of Summer”’, the crowd went wild. Many minstrel shows and dramatic groups visited the theater, the most famous were the incomparable Ellefords, appearing with a repertoire of plays, one for each night of the week, and a carload of scenery and stage settings. Community organizations put on many an ambitious play; the Laurel Players, a dramatic group of the Native Daughters of the Golden West, were a popular favorite. The Junior Class Play and the Senior Farce were annual high school productions. It may be said one is an old timer if they remember reserving theater seats at Foley’s Candy Store. A diagram of the seating arrangements framed in glass was dotted with paint as seats were reserved and then sponged clean to be made ready for the next theatrical attraction. The beginning of the end of those wonderful days when make-up was carefully applied in the basement dressing rooms, when flats and wings were arranged into the most exotic scenic effects and pullied curtains or drops responded to the slightest touch, came with the advent of motion pictures. There are only memories now of standing in the wings while Dick Goyne, Billy Grimes, Herman Brand, and the Rector brothers tuned up their instruments in the orchestra pit. The show was on, and it was time to face the footiight and a sea of friendly faces. NEVADA CITY'S MOTION PICTURE THEATERS Motion pictures were shown in the Nevada Theater for the first time in February, 1908. A month Jater a movie house was ready to show films exclusively. Crystal Theater, 1908: Nevada City’s first cinema was located on Commercial Street, now occupied by the Idea Workshop. The opening date was March 24, 1908. Hours before starting time, long lines of people waited to gain admission to this novelty. Films in those days were one reelers and five or six different titles were shown in an evening. Each performance included an illustrated song for a vocalist or the audiience. On the opening night of the Crystal Theater, Supervisor Bennetts sang ‘‘Ben Bolt.” During the time Nevada City’s first movie house was in use, the Nevada Theater was remodeled in order to handle both motion pictures and vaudeville acts. In February 1909, the Crystal Theater closed and the chairs were moved to the Nevada Theater. Films were shown along with theatrical attractions on the large and modern stage. The Broadway Theater, 1909: The Broadway movie house located across the street from the National Hotel became the only cinema in the town. W.

J. Gribben, manager of the Nevada Theater, sold his interest in motion pictures to the Broadway group. He also sold his interest in the Nevada Theater and moved away. Perhaps the responsibility of handling such rival forms of entertainment discouraged him from continuing in either. The Broadway was a remodeled livery stable; its present site being a part of the Alpha Store. The price of admission for adults was .10 and for children, .05. The aroma of hay and horses, free! The Gem Photo Theater, 1915: The Crystal Theater on Commercial Street was renovated and re-opened on April 14, 1915. An attractive front was added and the latest type of gold-screen curtain procured for the interior. The Gem had weekly showings but did not last through the year. It closed because of its limited size. The Nevada (Cedar) Theater, 1915: Later remodeling of the Nevada Theater included a slanted floor and the addition of electric lights. With the closing of the Broadway and Gem Theaters, special pictures were again seen at the Nevada Theater, until gradually weekly showings became the rule. As the legitimate show slowly bowed to the more popular form of entertainment, features appeared regularly. The showings reached a pinnacle in the 1920 silent-screen days, under the able management of a company headed by William Tamblyn and George Calanan. The piano player for silent films was as important as the moving picture itself, The ‘Fire Engine March” caused the audience anxious and exciting moments, while the rendering of ‘‘Hearts and Flowers” could tear one’s heart apart. Mrs. Davenport, the pianist, was an expert at fitting bits of musical selections to the film. Sound came in 1926, but four years passed before films were converted to alltalkie productions. It was the death knell of silent pictures. The Nevada continued to show motion pictures as the Cedar Theater until the advent of television forced its closing in 1958. Through the efforts of the Nevada City Liberal Arts Commission and the people of the Community, plans are being made to acquire, refurbish and restore the vacant landmark as a community center. HELP TO PRESERVE OUR COUNTY’S IMPORTANT AND ROMANTIC PAST — JOIN THE NEVADA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Membership only $1 per year — Payable January Ist each year Send $1.00 to Esther Hartung, 303 South Church St., Grass Valley The Nevada County Historical Society June, July and August. meets first Thursday of each month except 1966 OFFICERS OF THE NEVADA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY President—Mrs. Richard Shoemaker, Rt. 1 Box 875, Grass Valley, Phone 273-7026 Vice Pres.—Albert Johnson, 202 North Pine Street, Nevada City, Phone 265-4760 Secretary—Miss Esther Hartung, 303 South Church St., Grass ‘Valley, Phone 273-6830 Treasurer—Mrs. I. A. Creegan, P.O. Box 704, Nevada City, Phone 265-2996 Past-President—Mrs. Isabel Hefelfinger, 430 Washington St., N. C. Phone 265-2979 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Grass Valley—Danae Hubbard, Gunnar Williams, Steve Chileski. Nevada City—Retha Downey, Adelaide Elliott, Richard Nickless. County-at-Lange—Harry Hyatt, John Tremewan, Sibyl Leuteneker. BULLETIN EDITOR—Sibyl Leuteneker, P.O. Box 13, Chicago Park, Phone 346-2494 VISIT THE NEVADA COUNTY ‘HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM Located at the Corner of Main and Commercial Streets, Nevada City. Open 1t A.M. to 5 P.M., Every Day, June through August. Winter season by appointment—phone Caretaker, Richard Nickless, 265-2424.