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Guide to the Woodland Opera House State Historic Park Collection

1870-2010 (bulk dates 1960-1986)

California State Parks Archives McClellan, California

Contact Information:

California State Parks Archives 4940 Lang Avenue Suite 114 McClellan, California 95652 Telephone: (916) 263-0779 FAX: (916) 263-0858 Email: [email protected] URL: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=1080

Records processed by Deborah Hebert Lee Date Completed December 2015

© 2015 California State Parks Archives. All rights reserved.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=1080

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Descriptive Summary

Title Guide to the Woodland Opera House State Historic Park Collection Collection Number CSPA-327 Creator Woodland Opera House State Historic Park Extent 1 linear feet, including map folder Repository California State Parks Archives McClellan, California Language English Abstract Woodland Opera House State Historic Park, situated in Yolo County, is located in downtown Woodland. Woodland Opera House became a State Historic Park in 1980 in order to restore the building. Reopened to the public in 1989, the Opera House continues theatrical productions. The Woodland Opera House State Historic Park collection is arranged in ten series: 1. Correspondence, 2. Legal Documents, 3. Financial Documents, 4. Histories, 5. Research Notes, 6. Ephemera, 7. Photographic Material, 8. Publications, 9. Cartographic Material, and 10. Reports. Items span the years 1870-2010 with the bulk of the material between 1960-1986. Physical Location California State Parks Archives

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Administrative Information

Publication Rights For permission to reproduce or publish, please consult the California State Parks Archives archivist. Permission for reproduction or publication is given on behalf of the California State Parks Archives, McClellan as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility for possible infringement that may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Parks Archives. Preferred Citation [Identification of item], Woodland Opera House State Historic Park Collection, CSPA-327: [box: folder number], California State Parks Archives, McClellan, California. Restrictions The collection is open for research. Cultural and archaeological site maps are restricted. Reports with sensitive data may be restricted. Consult repository for details. Acquisition Information Woodland Opera House State Historic Park donated the materials in the collection in 2002. Accruals The repository continues to add materials to this collection on a regular basis. Processing Information Deborah Hebert Lee processed this collection and created and encoded the finding aid in 2015.

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Administrative History Woodland Opera House State Historic Park, situated in Yolo County, is located in downtown historic Woodland. The opera house, built in the late Victorian Era, still maintains its primary function. The Native American group, Poo-e-win, a part of the Hill Patwin, occupied the area before the influx of Europeans and Chinese population during the nineteenth century. The Poo-e-win population rapidly decreased with the arrival of Spanish Missionaries, and by the mid nineteenth century few remained in the area. Originally named Yolo City, Woodland became established in 1861 and incorporated in 1871. The later name derived from the local oak trees. Because of the city’s location in the fertile Sacramento Valley, agriculture and subsequently the railroad were major contributors to local development. A San Francisco architect named Thomas Welsh designed the original 1885 opera house. Seven years later, a fire destroyed the building along with other parts of the downtown area. David Hershey, a locally prominent figure, acquired the land. Hershey and several other local citizens helped to rebuild the opera house. The new building opened in 1896. Due to the growing popularity of motion pictures and a lawsuit brought against the Opera House, the facility closed in 1913. In 1971 the Yolo County Historical Society bought the building to protect it from urban renewal. California State Parks took over ownership in 1980, and restoration began. Architect Gary Wirth and Brocchini and Associates helped to restore the building. Federal and state grants along with local donations funded the restoration. The Opera House reopened to the public in 1989. The Woodland Opera House, also known as the Hershey Opera House, is located at 340 Second Street. The two-story brick building is listed on the California State Historic Landmark #851, and the National Register of Historic Places # 71000212. Areas of significance include: architecture, music, social/humanitarian and theater. Although the opera house is owned by the State of California, the Opera House Board of Trustees maintains the building. True to its original purpose, the opera house still performs theatrical productions, and is also involved in school outreach programs.

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Scope and Content

The Woodland Opera House State Historic Park collection is arranged in ten series: 1. Correspondence, 2. Legal Documents, 3. Financial Documents, 4. Histories, 5. Research Notes, 6. Ephemera, 7. Photographic Material, 8. Publications, 9. Cartographic Material, and 10. Reports. Items span the years 1870-2010 with the bulk of the material between 1960-1986. Series one, Correspondence, consists of general correspondence and memorandum between Opera House supporters, the local historical society, and state government officials prior to and after the establishment of the park. Series two, Legal Documents, contains correspondence and memorandum related to the acquisition, restoration, operation of the park. It also contains copies of a lease agreement and a probate record. Series three, Financial Documents, consists of an expense account document. Series four, Histories, contains background information about the land, inhabitants, and the building. Series five, Research Notes, contains research information related to the history of the site, and includes a copy of the 1870 Census, Cache Creek Township. Series six, Ephemera, consists of a conference flyer, a brochure and a pamphlet. Series seven, Photographic Material, consists of 35 mm black and white negatives, 4 x 5 black and white negatives, 4 x 5 black and white photographs, and an 8 x 10 black and white photograph. Series eight, Publications, contains a historical booklet, newspaper clippings, and journal articles. Series nine, Cartographic Material, contains maps of the topography and geography of the park. Series ten, Reports, includes reports by state and national government agencies and an architectural firm. Indexing Terms Architecture. California. Department of Parks and Recreation Ceramics. Chinese. Hershey, David N., 1818- National Register of Historic Places. Native Americans Opium. Theater. Woodland Opera House Site (Woodland, Calif.) Woodland Opera House (Woodland, Calif.) Yolo County (Calif.) Yolo County Historical Society

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Series Description

Series 1. Correspondence, 1973-1986. 1 ff. Correspondence is arranged chronologically followed by undated items. Included are letters between opera house supporters, Department of Parks and Recreation, Yolo County Historical Society, a California State Senator, and architects. Box 1: 01 General Correspondence: 1973-1986. Series 2. Legal Documents, 1903-1908, 1979-1982. 1 ff. Correspondence is arranged chronologically and includes a 1903 probate, a 1908 lease agreement, and correspondence between the Department of Parks and Recreation and Yolo County Historical Society. Included are titles for the Yolo County Historical Society and Lot 5, Block 2. Box 1: 02 Agreements, Titles, Probates, 1903-1908, 1979-1982. Series 3. Financial Documents, 1980. 1 ff. Arranged chronologically and includes expense account information related to various services. Box 1: 03 Project receipt, 1980. Series 4. Histories, 1969-1972, undated. 1 ff. Arranged chronologically followed by undated material. Includes histories related to the opera house and the Elliot Building. Box 1: 04 Woodland Opera House, 1969-1972, undated. Series 5. Research Notes, 1870, 1971-1983, undated. 1 ff. Arranged chronologically followed by undated material. Includes an 1870 Cache Creek Township Census, bibliographies, general research notes, drafts, articles, and sketches. Box 1: 05 Research, 1870, 1971- 1983, undated. Series 6. Ephemera, 1983, undated. 1 ff. Arranged chronologically followed by undated material. Information includes a letter between the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Program

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Committee Co-Chair, flyers related to a 1983 Ethnology at Home Conference, and a brochure and flyer. Box 1: 06 Brochures, flyers and pamphlets, 1983, undated. Series 7. Photographic Materials, 1984, undated. 1 ff. Materials are separated by type and arranged chronologically followed by undated materials. Included are negatives of artifacts, Sanborn maps, and a portrait. Included are prints of artifacts and a portrait. See Appendix A for a complete list. Box 1: 07 Photographs, negatives, 1984, undated. Series 8. Publications, 1969-2000. 2 ff. The first folder is arranged alphabetically by title and includes a brochure by the Yolo County Historical Society. The second folder is arranged alphabetically by title and includes newspaper clippings and journal articles. Box 1: 08 Yolo County Historical Society, Woodland Opera House, 1969. Box 1: 09 Newspaper clippings, 1973-2000. Series 9. Cartographic Material, 1885-1906, 1952-1981, undated 1 ff. Maps are arranged chronologically and include Sanborn maps, sketch of archeological excavations, lot sketch, and drawing of property owned by D.M. Burns. See Appendix B for a complete list. Box 1: 10 Maps, 1885-1906, 1952-1981, undated. Map Drawer W Series 10. Reports, 1960-2010. 26 ff. Reports are arranged alphabetically by first letter of the report to coincide with the Department Unit Data File System. Box 2: 01 A Note on Chinese and Opium Use, September 27,1982.

02 An Initial Evaluation of Cultural Resource Preservation Needs Associated with the Woodland Opera House Restoration Project, August 19, 1980. 03 An Initial Evaluation of Cultural Resource Preservation Needs Associated with the Woodland Opera House Restoration Project,

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Preliminary Draft, August 17, 1980. 04 California Archeological Reports No. 24: The Chinese Laundry on Second Street, Papers on Archeology at the Woodland Opera House Site, 1984. 05 Case Studies of the Adaptive Reuse of Historic Adobe and Non- Adobe Buildings Using Public-Private Partnerships, 2010. 06 Chinese at Woodland, 1979. 07 Development Project Completion Report,1979. 08 General Plan, 1979. 09 General Plan Preliminary, 1980.

10 Historical Resource Inventory, Volunteer Workbook, 1981-82. 11 History Status Report, April 29, 1982. 12 Inventory of Features, 1979. 13 National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form, 1971. 14 National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination, Application for Historical Landmark, 1971. 15 Negative Declaration Downtown Design Plan, January 9, 1986.

Box 3: 01 Opium Smoking Paraphernalia, undated. 02 Overseas Chinese Ceramics Values, July 21, 1983. 03 Parcel Description, Elliot Bldg., 1960. 04 Parcel Description, Opera House, June 1, 1960. 05 Preliminary Report on Structural Condition and Building Code Compliance Scott- Elliott Building, undated. 06 Woodland Opera House Feasibility Study, 1971. 07 Woodland Opera House, Archeological Report, History Status Report, 1980.

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08 Woodland Opera House, Archeological Testing, Historic Research Program, Correspondence, 1980. 09 Woodland Opera House Description, July 2, 1975. 10 Woodland Opera House Specifications for Restoration and Related Development, 1980. 11 Woodland Opera House State Historic Park, General Plan, 1980.

WOHSHP_p.1_1984_01.tif WOHSHP_p.1_1984_02.tif WOHSHP_p.1_1984_03.tif WOHSHP_p.1_1984_05.tif WOHSHP_p.1_1984_07.tif

WOHSHP_p.1_1984_17.tifWOHSHP_p. 1_1984 16.tifWOHSHP_p.1_1984_15.tifWOHSHP_p.1_1984_13.tif WOHSHP_p.1_1984_14.tif

WOHSHP_p.1_1984_22.tif

WOHSHP_p.1_1984_27.tifWOHSHP_p.1_1984_26.tifWOHSHP_p.1_1984_25.tifWOHSHP_p.1_1984_23.tif WOHSHP_p.1_1984_24.tif

WOHSHP_p.1_1984_19.tif WOHSHP_p.1_1984_20.tif WOHSHP_p.1_1984_21.tif

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WOHSHP_p.2_1984_06.tif WOHSHP_p.2_1984_07.tif

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Appendix A-Photographic Material

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Appendix B-Cartographic Material

Unit Number Title # Pages # Copies Author Date Restricted Size Notes

327 USGS Map, Woodland Quadrangle, CA-Yolo CO., 7.5 minute series 1 1 USGS 1952, photorevised 1968 22X27in original

327 USGS Map, Woodland Quadrangle, CA-Yolo CO., 7.5 minute series 1 1 USGS 1952, photorevised 1981 22X27in original

327 DPR, Woodland Opera House, Archeological Base Map 1 2 Felton 03.11.1981 34x22in original

327 Restoration and New Annex for : Woodland Opera House SHP, Revisions Addenda #1 4 1 Wirth and Long Architects, Inc. 08.22.1980 36x24in original

327 First American Title CO., hand drawn maps 2 1 Unknown Undated 14x8.5in copy

327 WHO SHP, Plan of Archeological Excavations South of Opera House, August 12-15, 1980 1 1 Felton 08.15.1980 8.5X11in copy

327 Sanborn Maps 1 20 1885; 1886; 1889; 1906; Undated 8x10in copy

327 Property of D.M. Burns, Woodland Yolo CO. CAL. 4 2 Unknown Undated 8x10in copy