Remembering Tuolumne

By Joseph Celentano, Historical Research Committee

Internet E-mail: JCelentano@TuolumneMuseum.org

Reopening of Firemen’s Theatre Planned for Saturday Nite!

Headlines: September 26, 1946

The Tuolumne Prospector

Tuolumne City Again To

Have Own Show House.

After being in the course of construction for several months due to the lack of materials and skilled labor, the Firemen’s Theatre in Tuolumne City will re-open Saturday evening, September 28, 1946 with the first show scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The second showing of the feature will be at 9:30. The opening picture will be “The Sailor Takes a Wife,” starring Robert Walker, June Allyson, and Eddie “Rochester” Anderson.

During the evening, Mr. Ernest Hodge will make a few appropriate remarks and the winner of the restaurant contest sponsored by Roy and Elleece Murray will be named. The Tuolumne Hose Company volunteer firemen, owners and operators of the theatre have had quite an experience of building - this being the fourth structure they have erected in the past forty-three years. Organized and incorporated under the laws of California in 1903 as a non-profit sharing organization, all revenue derived from their activities has been spent in providing the town with a place of amusement, fighting fire and furthering worthwhile activities.

Their first hall was destroyed by fire on February 4, 1916 after an all night dance. Their second was also burned to the ground when the entire business district portion of the town was destroyed on June 17, 1918. The last one was lost on December 12, 1944. In each case, a new building was constructed mostly by the combined efforts of the members together with some skilled labor being hired or contracted for.

Hose Company Officers: George P. Handy, a member of the Hose Company since August 4, 1908 is president of the group. Other officers and building committee members are: William D. Archer, First V.P.; Stanley Curnow, Second V.P.; William R. Naismith, Secretary-Manager and building committee member Ivar C. Ekman, treasurer; John Ronten Chief; Roy Ingalls, First Assistant Chief; Lou Gurney, Second Assistant Chief; Claude Follett, head building committee and trustee; E.H. Hodge, clerk building committee and trustee; Adolph Antinetti, member building committee and trustee; and Paul L. Short, member building committee.

[End of The Tuolumne Prospector article.]

SIDE NOTE: The Firemen’s Theatre was again gutted by fire in the 1960’s. The front portion was used until 1987, when it also burned. Presently, only the walls remain without a roof or floor.

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