Eureka Theater
612 F Street,
Eureka,
CA
95501
612 F Street,
Eureka,
CA
95501
7 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 30 comments
To ken mc: I’d love to get in touch with you regarding the comment you left about having staff rosters for the Rialto Theater listed in the Humboldt Standard. I am looking for a cameraman that is supposed to be associated with the theatre in the 1910s. I made a listing for the Rialto here: /theaters/33928/
If you get this message could you please let me know via the Rialto page? Thanks SO much for your help!
The Eureka Theater sign and marquee are, were, wrapped in neon. The large letters were sequential at one time, but due to neglect and expense, they were eventualy changed over to a continuous mode. A shame, the sequential mode looked great. There were also two neon strings wrapping the awning around the outside, and “Vegas” style rotating lights in the cieling of the italian blue tiled entrance. In it’s day, it was a real show piece. George Mann spared very little when he built a new theater. And this was one of his nicer ones.
Nice vertical sign and marquee.
Not exactly one of the new owners better ideas. Renting video tapes would not have been tolerated if Mr. Rickard was still in charge. Buzz was as old school as it got. And a nicer employer one might never find in a lifetime.
Interesting selling movie tickets and renting VHS tapes.
If anyone at the Eureka Theater is curious about that gray wire hanging down inside the box office cabinet, just inside the right side front door, it is a wire to an alarm for the back doors of the downstairs theater. It runs up inside the marquee, across the ceiling and down the wall behind and to the right of the right side exit, in what used to be the carpenters room. The homemade ladder goes up to the attic. Just follow the wire up the ladder, across the attic, and down inside the marquee to the box office. Watch the wiring, it’s pretty old. A long single piece of wire. Just thought someone might be interested. It was quite the climb.
According to news reports, the earthquake of 01-09-10 has closed the theater at least temporarily and that damage has been done to its marquee.
Here is a 1985 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/cx6kgd
RedwoodResearcher:
Thanks for the newspaper citation (every little bit helps) and your response to my inquiry of a year ago. As you can see above, I had other responses at the time, and also did more research. And as it happens, I am acquainted with the author of the Davis Historical Society PDF file that you cite above, which incorporates my research in the year since my Feb 2007 inquiry here.
Can someone tell me what is the basis for attributing this theatre to William B. David?
recently; William B. David is listed as the architect in the article printed in the Humboldt Standard March 2, 1939. The day before the theater opened. I see you have a number of his theaters listed as your favorites, you may enjoy reading this pdf about him. View link
Here is a 1958 ad from the Eureka Humboldt Standard:
http://tinyurl.com/3659z5
In 2000 (?) my wife and I drove through this pleasant town and went into the EUREKA THEATRE.
It was good to see the restoration underway with scaffolding still in position but with room to still see a movie on the big screen.
Unlike SOME theaters, they were happy that I took some photos of their progress.
If you enjoy “art-deco” theaters, then cough-up your bucks and buy a ticket to support a local single screen house.
Thanks, LM….. I still have family in Eureka, but don’t make it up there as often as I’d like to. It’s nice to see that the Theatre is starting to come around. I spent a LOT of afternoons and evenings at that place growing up.
For the person that said that the theater is not an Art Deco style, I disagree. In 1993, the Eureka Theater received an ADSC (Art Deco Society of California) Preservation Award.
In April 2003, Bob Rickard received an ADSC Certificate of Appreciation for leading the effort to restore and preserve the Eureka Theater.
The ADSC’s Preservation Awards honor those who have helped preserve and restore buildings and memorabilia from the Art Deco era, which flourished from the 1920’s through the early 1940’s.
There was a full page ad in the 6-28-52 edition of the Humboldt Standard celebrating George Mann week for his 35 years in Eureka. Full staff lists are given for the Eureka, State, Rialto, Midway Drive-In, Fortuna and Arcata. I won’t copy all the names here, but if someone is looking for an usher or candy girl around that time, let me know and I will look it up.
Can someone tell me what is the basis for attributing this theatre to William B. David? Is there some kind of documentary evidence, such as plans on file at the City of Eureka building department or a newspaper article from the time it was built?
Hiya Folks!!
I worked around the corner from this lovely for about 5 years enduring all the parking tickets hahahaa….I am glad that the work continues on the old theater… it was neeto to be in the back alley and see the likes of Merle Haggard pull up in his tour bus and later come out to take a smoke umm i mean a breather lololol….anyway I am glad that the old gal is being used again…I do believe its been 5 years since they started holding the Dixyland Jazz festival activities there… and the occasional movie. I think there was a mistake earlier when someone said the movie closed in 1987 though… I saw Silence of the Lambs in 1991 for sure at this theater…I have to admit the theater had seen better days but it was open. I hope people continue to love it and take care of it….we have another theater just outside of Eureka that is just rotting away….its more modern than the Eureka theater…seems such a waste to have it just sitting there.
An exterior photograph of the Eureka Theatre here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/moxette/82311336/
Pam. I agree with you, I as well as the whole county feel very strongly about this theater opening. I have very fond memories of it, as I am the youngest volunteer there. As my experience as a pastor’s kid has taught me, I have no idea what the board of the theater has planned as far as what this theater is going to be used for now. All boards are very unpredictable and secretive. When something goes on there (event wise), it will definitely be publicised for sure. A lot of the board members there are prolific and serious people in the community, so they will make sure word of it gets out. I can’t clarify anything like events and official decisions, so you would have to call the theater at 442-2970 for more info.
yes i saw the status listing. i just wanted to say how strong i felt about having the theater re-opened. i also wanted to let you all know why i feel the way i do. Is the theater going to be open for movies as it use to, or will there be other types of things going on there? please let me know as i will be waiting. also, when there is something going on there where will it be listed?
Didn’t you see the status listing above Pam? It says we are open/renovating. As of now until sometime in August we are closed completely for some great renovations. We’re not going to be closed forever. Once when we reopen for the public again in August, we will have some really great plans to present you with.
i have lived in eureka my hole life, and one of the places that i would love to see re-opened to its origanal splender is the eureka theater. the first movie i ever saw alone, i saw at the eureka theater, on my 13th birthday, with my best freind. i would love for my children to be able to see the theater as i saw it. i have several freinds that also feel the same as i do about it. it was a sad day when i took my girls to the theater to see a shirly temple look alike contest. it looked so sad and dejected. i felt that it would bring back all those old feelings of wonder that i once had walking into that building. what i got was a very disapointed feeling when i saw all the buity covered with dust and stains. please open this wonderful place again. the people of eureka would love this as much as i would. pam
First of all, an exterior view of the theater at:
www.preservationdirectory.com/photodatabase_theaters.html
Hope you enjoy it!!!!
2nd of all, why is Chris H.’s comment (above) posted twice?
Our new web site is www.eurkeatheater.org
Our new web site is www.eurkeatheater.org