318 Montgomery St. | map |
Opened: 1862. The
Eureka is the white building with the triangular pediment down the
block in this 1866 stereo view of the east side of the block taken by
Lawrence & Houseworth. We're looking north from Pine St. Tom Maguire's
Academy of Music, running between 1864 and 1867, was just out of the frame to the right. Thanks to Art Siegel
for locating this in the
California State Library collection. It's their item #001390028.
A closer look at the theatre building from the 1866 Lawrence & Houseworth card. By the time of
this photo the theatre space had become a collection of oddities called the Pacific Museum with its entrance in the center space. The north storefront at 320 was occupied by the real
estate firm of G.W. Dam & Co. The south space at 316 was
the San Francisco Letter Express Co. They were listed as being in the
building in the 1865 city directory, when it was still a theatre. The upstairs portion of the
building on the far right at 312 was soon to be
Lyceum Hall.
The December 16, 1862 issue of the Daily Alta California had a very brief announcement of the opening:
"EUREKA THEATRE. - Manager Leighton purposes opening the New Eureka Theatre this week."
In a "City Improvements - Annual Building Statistics" column in the January 1, 1863 issue of the
Daily Alta California this was one of many listings:
"Eureka Theatre, (brick) 40x206 feet, $22,000."
Thanks to Art Siegel for locating these items (and many that follow) via the California Digital Newspaper Collection. The building, but not the land, was owned by Henry B. Platt, who also had
Platt's Hall, a block south at 216 Montgomery. In the 1863 city directory the Eureka is listed with Thomas Maguire as
the lessee and the address as the east side of Montgomery between Pine
and California. In early 1864 he was still running the Eureka.
This item, mostly about the Academy of Music ("the new theater on Pine street") mentions Platt and the Eureka at the end. This appeared in the "Letters From San Francisco" column of the
Sacramento Daily Union
on May 23, 1864. Art Siegel
located the article via the California Digital Newspaper Collection.
The Eureka is in the 1864 directory with H.B. Platt as proprietor and the address as 314 and 316 Montgomery. Bookings were evidently rather sparse. In the December 13, 1864 issue of the Daily Alta California we got an announcement of a one-night event:
"BENEFIT OF THE ORPHANS.— The Minstrels at the Eureka Theatre will perform to-morrow evening for the benefit of the Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum."
In the 1865 city directory it gets a 320 address and Charles Wheatleigh as the proprietor. Although Wheatleigh may have been running the theatre, Platt evidently still owned the building. In the 1865 directory there's also a listing for Platt as proprietor of both the New Music Hall (aka Platt's Hall) and the Eureka. Wheatleigh announced his grand opening in this ad from the June 7, 1865 issue of the
Daily Alta California where he "Respectfully informs the public" that he has "thoroughly renovated" the theatre and would be opening June 8:
Wheatleigh was a noted actor and was featured in the performance of "How She Loves Him, or, Dying For Love" that reopened the theatre. He ran a similar ad in the June 9 issue of the
Alta Daily California.
By the time of a September 6, 1865 ad in the Daily Alta California the venue has been rebranded as Wheatleigh's Eureka Theatre. It was a benefit for actor W.D. Shields and featured Wheatleigh as Henry IV in "Shakespeare's celebrated play (first part) of King Henry Fourth!":
By the end of September Wheatleigh had left the Eureka and had become the lessee and manager of the Metropolitan Theatre. The last live performance at the Eureka may have been a benefit performance that was noted in the September 18, 1865 issue of the Daily Alta California:
"Benefit. - Mrs. Yeamans, who arrived a few months since from Australia, the wife of one of the earliest pioneers in the profession in our midst, and a lady of considerable talent, will take her first benefit at the Eureka Theatre, on Wednesday evening. A host of talent have volunteered, and we hope that the occasion may prove a substantial benefit."
On September 24, 1865 the theatre became an exhibition venue for a panorama painting depicting
"Paradise Lost," evidently on rollers so that it appeared a
proscenium's width at a time across the stage. The unrolling was accompanied by an orchestra in the pit. Art Siegel found this
account that appeared in the September 28 issue of the Daily Alta California:
"PANORAMA OF "Paradise Lost."— This grand pictorial illustration of the master poem of the English language attracted a large and appreciative audience to the Eureka Theatre last night. The unrolling of the canvas drew down repeated rounds of applause. The landscape portions, abounding as they do with beautiful tints and soft and mellow effects of light and shade were especially admired. The moonlight scene in the Garden of Eden, and the shimmering of the rays upon the water, itself repays the price of admission.
"Upon the appearance of the winged cannon, brought to bear upon the angelic hosts by Satan, on the second day's fight, Fitz Smythe, who sat by our side, remarked that it was the first instance we have of 'flying artillery' being brought into service; and when the representation of the rebels being driven into the fiery gulf came around, the old inveterate remarked that they had found 'the last ditch.' The panorama will be unrolled for the gratification of the lovers of the sublime and beautiful every night this week, and on Saturday afternoon an exhibition will be given for the special benefit of families and schools, to whom it will prove an attractive entertainment."
R.G. Bachelder was leasing the theatre during the run of the "Paradise Lost" exhibition. This ad appeared in the October 4, 1865 issue of the
Daily Alta California:
Closing: October 1865 was the end for the building as a theatre space. On November 18 this item appeared in the Daily Alta California:
"Change of Location.— The Eureka. Theatre property, on Montgomery street, has been purchased by the proprietor of the Anatomical Museum, and the former theatre transformed into a spacious and elegant hall. The entrance from Montgomery street, when all the repairs are completed, will be a most beautiful sight, covered with mirrors and adorned with an illuminated fountain. The present. Museum, on Pine street, is closed, preparatory to the removal of the collection to the Eureka."
The Museum had begun in a venue called the
New Hall on Pine St. In this ad Art Siegel located in the June 7, 1865 issue of the
Daily Alta California its debut had been announced as the
Pacific Museum of Anatomy:
On June 21, 1865 the
Daily Examiner ran a story announcing that S.J. Jordan, the Museum's proprietor, had been acquitted of maintaining an obscene immoral exhibit. The page can be viewed on ProQuest, via the San Francisco Public Library.
The Museum opened in their new home in late 1865. This item appeared in the December 2 edition of the
Daily Alta California:
"EUREKA.— The Anatomical Museum, which now occupies the Eureka Theatre, presents attractions to all lovers of nature and science seldom met with. The establishment is fitted up in gorgeous style, and the exhibition is an instructive one."
"PACIFIC ANATOMICAL MUSEUM — The magnificently furnished saloon of the Pacific Anatomical Museum on Montgomery street, in the building formerly known as the Eureka Theatre, is now one of the most popular places of resort in San Francisco. The elegant and tastefully decorated main entrance is among the most striking objects greeting the eye of a stranger as he passes down Montgomery street and the visitor to the inner hall never goes away disappointed by the non-fulfilment of the promise held forth by the showy exterior."
An item Art Siegel located via the California Digital Newspaper Collection that appeared in the January 12, 1866 issue of The Elevator, a paper covering the local African-American community:
"The Eureka Theater has been remodeled into a beautiful hall and lecture room, and man can be learned of the mysteries of 'the house in which we live,' by an evening visit more than reading volumes. A lecture is delivered every evening by a professor of medicine and surgery, which is worth the admission fare. It is an instructive school for young and old."
An item in the June 16, 1866 issue of the
Daily Alta California still used the Eureka name and referred to the exhibition as that of Dr. Jordan:
"ANATOMY— An inspection of Dr. Jordan's Interesting and valuable anatomical collection at the Eureka Theatre, will convey a large amount of useful information."
In a March 30, 1867 Daily Alta California item regarding the swearing in of a witness for a trial on an unrelated matter a gentleman noted that he was the proprietor of a billiard hall located above the museum. In 1868 "gorgeous embellishments were coming. This ad copy appeared in the March 8 issue of the
Daily Alta California:
"LAST WEEK OF THE PACIFIC ANATOMICAL MUSEUM. Eureka Theatre, Montgomery St.. On and after Monday, Feb. 17 the Pacific Anatomical Museum will be closed to permit of wonderful and extensive additions, gorgeous embellishments and alterations. The Museum having long since been recognized as a permanent institution, the Principal has determined to render it still more worthy of the unanimous approval it has won from the pulpit, the press, the medical profession and general public. With this object in view, on reopening the Museum the additions will include the finest objects of anatomical skill, indefatigable labor and perseverance, that science and genius have ever produced. The reopening will include an extensive MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY AND SCIENCE, comprising an immense collection in BOTANY. ICTHYOLOGY, ENTOMOLOGY and CONCHOLOGY. COMPARATIVE FLORAL and BOTANICAL ANATOMY will be largely illustrated, and form a leading feature of the institution. Every exertion has been used to render this superb collection the most INSTRUCTIVE. AGREEABLE AND USEFUL IN THE WORLD. Due notice will be given of the reopening."
This ad copy about the reopening of the museum, with a new, longer name, appeared in the March 13, 1868 issue of the
Daily Alta California:
"GRAND RE-OPENING! ~ GRAND RE-OPENING! OF THE PACIFIC ANATOMICAL MUSEUM AND GALLERY OF NATURAL HISTORY AND SCIENCE, Eureka Theatre; Montgomery St., on MONDAY, 16th instant, this truly elaborate and magnificent collection of all that is strange, wonderful and curious, in SCIENCE, NATURAL HISTORY. AND ART, will be thrown open to the public. Extensive embellishments. and improvements have been made. The additions will include an immense collection in : BOTANY, ICTHYOLOGY, aid ENTOMOLOGY. : COMPARATIVE. FLORAL and BOTANICAL ANATOMY will be largely illustrated, and form a leading feature of the institution. Every exertion has been used to render this superb collection the most INSTRUCTIVE, AGREEABLE AND USEFUL IN THE WORLD. INSECT and ANIMAL LIFE will be beautifully displayed, and the celebrated Du Chaillu GORILLA, which was exhibited ALIVE in Paris, has been added to the already vast collection of HUMAN AND COMPARATIVE ANATOMY. Open dally from 9 A.M. to 5 and 7 to 9 P. M. Sunday, from 5 till 10."
In the 1868 city directory the building that had been the Eureka had a
listing as the Pacific Museum, using a 318 Montgomery address. This interesting item tracking amusement receipts at the Anatomical Museum and other venues appeared in the October 25, 1870 issue of the
Daily Alta California:
A c.1870 photo of the building taken by Eadward Muybridge. Presumably at the time this was taken the theatre space was being operated as the Pacific Museum. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating the photo. It's on
Calisphere from the UC Berkeley Bancroft Library collection.
End of the Museum: The property was sold in 1875 to the Pacific Exchange, an affiliate of the Pacific Stock Exchange. Also involved, in addition to the Eureka property, was a lot along Leidesdorff St. that had frontage on Pine St., just east of the Academy of Music building. This item appeared in the Real Estate column of the February 2 issue of the
Daily Alta California:
"...the following property has been sold on the east side of Montgomery, north of Pine, viz: North side Pine, 169 1/2 ft east of Montgomery, east 46 3/4 feet front, by the depth of 137 1/2, 15 feet of the lot fronting on Leidesdorff street, in rear; this lot has an L on the side in rear, on west, 22 1/2 x77 1/2; also, east side of Montgomery, 97 3/4 north of Pine, thence north on Montgomery, 40 x 137 1/2; this lot and the Pine-street lot adjoin teach other in the rear; the Anatomical Museum, a frame building, stands on the Montgomery-street lot, and a brick building on the Pine-street lot; price paid for both, $300,000... It is said... that Leidesdorff street will be opened through to Pine..."
"At the Pacific Stock Exchange yesterday the Secretary made the announcement that the property, which the Exchange had in contemplation of purchasing, situated on Montgomery Street, between California and Pine, known as the Anatomical Museum building, had been bought and paid for. The amount expressed in the deed is $325,000. The new building which they propose to erect will have three entrances— one on Montgomery street, one on Pine and one on Leidesdorff."
The information about the purchase, as well as a description of the property, also appeared on page 19 in the 1879 edition of "
United States Annual Mining Review and Stock Ledger." Thanks to Art Siegel for finding it on Google Books. They note that the property had a frontage of 40 feet on Montgomery and extended 206 feet back to Leidesdorff St.
The remodeled Eureka is seen as the Pacific Exchange in this detail from image 13 of the 1887 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map in the Library of Congress collection. Montgomery is on the left with Lyceum Hall formerly in the building at 312 and the Eureka building seen as 314-316-318. Pine St. is on the bottom of the image with the building that had been the Academy of Music at 328-330-332-334.
An 1895 drawing of the east side of Montgomery St. with California St. on the left and Pine St. on the right. It's from "The Illustrated Directory," published by the Hicks-Judd Company. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating this in the David Rumsey Map Collection.
A detail from the 1895 drawing with the former Eureka Theatre building left of center at 318. The two-story building to the right is the building that earlier had been Lyceum Hall. More information: The California State Library has a c.1866 stereo image taken by Lawrence & Houseworth from the theatre that shows the west side of the block. It's their item #01390049
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