http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8c82fs4 No online items Woodland Opera House SHP Processed by Deborah Hebert Lee California State Parks Archives 4940 Lang Avenue Suite 114 McClellan, CA 95652 Phone: 916-263-0779 FAX: 916-663-0858 Email: department.archives@parks.ca.gov URL: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=1080 2015 California State Parks Archives. All rights reserved. CSPA-327 1
Descriptive Summary Title: Woodland Opera Date (inclusive): 1870-2010 Date (bulk): (bulk dates 1960-1986) number: CSPA-327 Creator: Woodland Opera Extent: 1 linear foot, including 1 map folder. Repository: California State Parks McClellan, California 95652 Abstract: Woodland Opera, 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 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 Languages: Languages represented in this collection: English Access The collection is open for research. Cultural and archaeological site maps are restricted. Reports with sensitive data may be restricted. Consult repository for details. 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, CSPA-327: [box: folder number], California State Parks Archives, McClellan, California. Acquisition Information Woodland Opera donated the materials in the collection in 2002. Processing Information Deborah Hebert Lee processed this collection and created and encoded its finding aid in 2015. Administrative History Woodland Opera, 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. CSPA-327 2
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. Scope and Content The Woodland Opera 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 The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog. Architecture. California. Department of Parks and Recreation 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 Box 1 : 1 Series 1. Correspondence 1973-1986 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 : 2 Series 2. Legal Documents 1903-1908, 1979-1982 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. CSPA-327 3
Series 3.Financial Documents 1980 Box 1 : 3 Series 3. Financial Documents 1980 Arranged chronologically and includes expense account information related to various services. Box 1 : 4 Series 4. Histories 1969-1972, undated Arranged chronologically followed by undated material. Includes histories related to the opera house and the Elliot Building. Box 1 : 5 Series 5. Research Notes 1870, 1971-1983, undated s Arranged chronologically followed by undated material. Includes an 1870 Cache Creek Township Census, bibliographies, general research notes, drafts, articles, and sketches. Box 1 : 6 Series 6. Ephemera 1983 Arranged chronologically followed by undated material. Information includes a letter between the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Program Committee Co-Chair, flyers related to a 1983 Ethnology at Home Conference, a brochure, and flyer. Box 1 : 7 Series 7. Photographic Materials 1984, undated Materials are separated by type and arranged chronologically followed by undated materials and include negatives and photographs. See Appendix A for a complete list. Box 1 : 8-9 Series 8. Publications 1969-2000 Physical Description: 2 file folders 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 : 8 Yolo County Historical Society, Woodland Opera House 1969 Box 1 : 9 Newspaper clippings 1973-2000 Box 1 : 10 Series 9. Cartographic Material 1885-1906, 1952-1981, undated 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. CSPA-327 4
Series 10.Reports 1960-2010 Box 2 : 1-3: 11 Series 10. Reports 1960-2010 Physical Description: 15 file folders Reports are arranged alphabetically by first letter of the report to coincide with the Department Unit Data File System. Box 2 : 1 A Note on Chinese and Opium Use September 27, 1982 Box 2 : 2 An Initial Evaluation of Cultural Resource Preservation Needs Associated with the Woodland Opera House Restoration Project August 19, 1980 Box 2 : 3 An Initial Evaluation of Cultural Resource Preservation Needs Associated with the Woodland Opera House Restoration Project, Preliminary Draft August 17, 1980 Box 2 : 4 California Archeological Reports No. 24: The Chinese Laundry on Second Street, Papers on Archeology at the Woodland Opera House Site 1984 Box 2 : 5 Case Studies of the Adaptive Reuse of Historic Adobe and Non-Adobe Buildings Using Public-Private Partnerships 2010 Box 2 : 6 Chinese at Woodland 1979 Box 2 : 7 Development Project Completion Report 1979 Box 2 : 8 General Plan 1979 Box 2 : 9 General Plan Preliminary 1980 Box 2 : 10 Historical Resource Inventory, Volunteer Workbook 1982 Box 2 :11 History Status Report April 29, 1982 Box 2 :12 Inventory of Features 1979 Box 2 :13 National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form 1971 Box 2 :14 National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination, Application for Historical Landmark 1971 Box 2 :15 Negative Declaration Downtown Design Plan January 9, 1986 Box 3 : 1 Opium Smoking Paraphernalia undated Box 3 : 2 Overseas Chinese Ceramics Values July 21, 1983 Box 3 : 3 Parcel Description, Elliot Bldg. 1960 Box 3 : 4 Parcel Description, Opera House June 1, 1960 Box 3 : 5 Preliminary Report on Structural Condition and Building Code Compliance Scott- Elliott Building undated Box 3 : 6 Woodland Opera House Feasibility Study 1971 Box 3 : 7 Woodland Opera House, Archeological Report, History Status Report 1980 Box 3 : 8 Woodland Opera House, Archeological Testing, Historic Research Program, Correspondence 1980 Box 3 : 9 Woodland Opera House Specifications for Restoration and Related Development 1980 Box 3 : 10 Woodland Opera House Specifications for Restoration and Related Development 1980 Box 3 : 11 Woodland Opera, General Plan 1980 CSPA-327 5