Opening: The theatre was a brick and "sheet iron" building on the SE corner of Stockton and Geary. The building had been constructed in 1884 as a campaign headquarters for the Blaine and Logan presidential campaign. Grover Cleveland ended up winning the election.
Peter M. Field, author of the 2018 Arcadia Publishing book "The Tenderloin District of San Francisco Through Time,"
notes that the illustration appeared on page 16 of the San Francisco
Call issue of April 8, 1896. At that point the building was scheduled to
be demolished. The caption was "The Wigwam Theater That Is To Be
Removed to Make Room for the Spring Valley Building." The text of the article about the new building is reproduced lower on the page.
Early history of the site: In the 1860s the southeast corner of Geary and Stockton was the location of the City College of San Francisco, a boys school not connected with the current college of that name.
Thanks to Peter Field for locating this ad for the college that appeared on page xc of the 1865 city directory. He comments:
The Geary and Stockton campus in 1873. It had been renamed University College in 1863. Thanks to Peter Field for finding the illustration. It appeared on page 70 of the May 1, 1873 issue of Pacific Rural Press. Peter comments:
Entertainment on the vacant lot: After the building was moved in 1875 the site had other uses. Peter notes that the empty lot was then used for fairs, tent revival shows and circuses. One of the circus proprietors using the site was Walter Morosco, born Walter Bishop. Evidently his circus morphed into a variety show.
A November 19, 1928 Chronicle article by E.G. Fitzhamon is reproduced at the bottom of the page. Fitzhamon had this to say about the Morosco circus:
"John I. Peterson of 268 Market street tells me that Morosco (the original Morosco, whose real name was Walter Bishop) and whose son was Henry Bishop, well known theater manager on both sides of the bay, had a circus for some little time on that same site at Stockton and Geary. 'I remember it for three reasons,' he writes. 'Foremost because he has a professor Baldwin, who was acronaut, acrobat and tightrope walker. Every night he made a tightrope walk above Geary to the opposite side of the street, besides making a walk inside the curcus tent.'
"A second reason, Peterson says, was there was the 'Slide for Life,' made at every evening performance from the top of the circus tent to the arena by Leslie Morosco, one of the boys trained by Morosco and endowed with his stage name. Leslie later on became an actor. The third reason was Morosco himself, of course. Nobody would forget him. He was a natural showman, quite a character and a clever performer in sawdust ring or on the stage."
An article about the Wigwam's September 1 grand opening. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating this in the September 2, 1884 issue of the Examiner.
Early uses of the building: After the losing presidential election of 1884 the Republicans rented the building to a number of users.
Art Siegel notes that the Examiner's issue of November 10 advised that there would be a boxing match on November 17. Other fights and events followed. In June 1885 there was a theatrical presentation titled "Lost At Sea."
"After the presidential campaign of 1884, the Wigwam successively was converted into a banquet hall, bazaar, poultry showroom, prizefight arena and circus ground. A company playing under the direction of Edward Barrett briefly contributed a proper theatrical atmosphere to 'the great barn-like structure' in 1885; then came Walter Morosco's Royal Russian Circus, and Fryer's Circus, with its spectacular and highly successful menagerie shows."
It's quote on page 113-114 of George Hanlin and Alan Harrison's "Famous Playhouses of
San Francisco," in chapter 8: "The Wigwam." It's a 1942 publication from the Writers' Program of the
WPA that was sponsored by the City and County of San Francisco. Thanks
to Art Siegel for locating it on Internet Archive. The chapter goes on to describe the the building and the problems with making it safe enough to satisfy the city.
Morosco went on to take over Union Hall on Howard St. in 1886, a venue he called Morosco's Amphitheatre, later renamed Morosco's Theatre. In 1894 he took over the Grand Opera House on Mission St.
"He called it the Wigwam Garden, a sort of bier halle much like his nearby Vienna Garden that made its money from beer and food sales and offered free entertainment. By 1886 this morphed into the Wigwam Garden Theatre which changed its format to variety and vaudeville and charged admission. It ran under Walter and a couple of later proprietors and became famous as a ten cent joint for the humbler classes."
The venue opened under Walter's management in August, 1885. In an August 20 ad in the Daily Evening Post he boasted:
"The largest, and best appointed, and most perfectly ventilated Concert Hall in America. The hall is remodeled, redecorated and frescoed in the latest style. Entirely new stage, new scenery, etc."
A later ad announced:
"GRAND OPENING Saturday Evening, August 22nd. Extraordinary Attractions! Everything New! 4 Grand opening Performances 4 - Saturday, Sunday, Sunday Afternoon and Monday - August 22nd, 23rd, 24th. ADMISSION FREE!"
The Wigwam was mentioned in a July 2, 1901 article in the S.F. Call. that was about Walter Morosco's sale of the company that operated the Grand Opera House. But they seem to have confused Morosco's 1885 circus exploits in the building with Gustav Walter's later operation:
A November 1890 ad for a wrestling bout located by Ken McIntyre for a Facebook thread including various Wigwam items on Ken's Movie Page.
Spring Valley Water Company owned the property the Wigwam was on. Charles Meyer executed a new lease with them on September 1, 1892 and did an extension in May 1893.
An illustration promoting a boxing kangaroo act that appeared at the Wigwam. It appeared on page 16 of the San Francisco Morning Call issue of August 16, 1893. Thanks to Peter Field for finding it.
The obituary for Charles Meyer that appeared in the December 26, 1893 issue of the Chronicle. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating it.
The family fights soon made the papers. A February 28, 1894 San Francisco Call story that Art located was titled "Wigwam Troubles." You can read it all on the site of the California Digital Newspaper Collection. They noted:
"The even tenor of the Meyer family...does not run as smoothly now as it did a week ago, and from the outlook what is at present only a smoldering fire may break out in a bitter family war before the week ends."
The Call's sub-head said "Frank Meyer Will Not Leave the Band." Well he had left. That should have read "Lead." Frank, who had been the orchestra director for the previous five years, was earlier having an affair with a "soubrette" at the theatre, a Miss Neilson. And there were disputes about the firing of an orchestra member who happened to be the brother of Frank's girlfriend. But it was really all about the division of the estate and who should run the theatre: Frank (a son of Charles) or Albert (a stepson). Frank walked out and the widow, Mary Meyer, wanted him back but only as orchestra leader, not as a theatre manager.
Frank and his sister Bertha both contested the estate of their father Charles.
"Sights at the Fair," a April 1, 1894 San Jose Daily Mercury article that Art Siegel located via the California Digital Newspaper Collection, reported on the Midwinter Fair but also news of other happenings in San Francisco. They veered into politics and commented on the declining popularity of Grover Cleveland and how that was reflected in audience response to a "skirt dance" at the Wigwam:
"As an indication of the decline of Cleveland’s popularity in this city, we will relate a significant incident. At the Wigwam Theater recently, a cheap but popular place of public resort in this city, the management presented a specialty of a somewhat singular character. It consisted of what is known as the skirt dance. A limber-limbed female, with a superabundance of skirts, whirls her vast adornment of gauzy material around her form in a very fantastic way. A magic lantern, with various slides representing prominent public men, is directed upon her while she whirls and gyrates, her body and skirts forming the background for the magic pictures.
"Theatrical Dullness.." Fraud had been alleged in order to give the appearance that the theatre was a money-losing proposition after the death of Charles Meyer. This article located by Art Siegel appeared in the May 3, 1895 San Francisco Call. It's on the site of the California Digital Newspaper Collection.
Closing: Walter had been in control of the operation (again) beginning in January 1895. He and Meyer, as manager, made the decision to close the venue in April. An article in the Post on April 23 noted that the two came to the conclusion that:
The lease on the property and the building itself were advertised for a sheriff's sale in the May 8, 1895 San Francisco Call. Evidently M.C. Maunder was one of Mary Meyer's creditors. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating this via the website of the California Digital Newspaper Collection.
A February 7, 1896 San Francisco Call article detailed the mayhem at the Wigwam as the Call was distributing 600 free tickets to a performance by the singer and actress Corinne. Apparently the Call newsboys had a mad infatuation for this performer. But they were only using the Wigwam as a distribution point. The performance was to be at the California Theatre.
An April 8, 1896 San Francisco Call article about the new building to be erected on the site commented on the status of the Wigwam:
"The present lessee keeps it closed now, so that patronage may not be diverted from the Orpheum, another place of amusement which he controls."
Demolition: The end of the Wigwam Theatre came in mid-1896 when the site was cleared for construction of a new building for the Spring Valley Water Company.
"In the Wigwam rallied the followers of Blaine and Harrison, and there the San Francisco Republicans shouted for Estee when he ran against Stoneman, and applauded Swift when he campaigned against Bartlett. Many orators of State and National renown have addressed audiences in the historic building. Ratification meetings, nominating conventions and informal audiences meeting to hear and cheer election returns have assembled at the Wigwam. Often Republicans, elated with the news of victory, formed in line and marched triumphantly along the principal streets. On other occasions they waited until the last hope of success had vanished and went home gloomy and dispirited. The building was used as Republican headquarters from the Garfield election of 1880 until the Markham campaign. When Markham was nominated the leaders of the party erected the Wigwam, now known as the Auditorium, at the corner of Eddy and Jones streets. Since then the old Wigwam has been leased for all sorts and varieties of public entertainment. The present lessee keeps it closed now, so that patronage may not be diverted from the Orpheum, another place of amusement which he controls.
"The 50-vara lot, on which stands the old Wigwam, belongs to the Spring Valley Water Company. It was purchased from James Keene, the noted stockbroker, in 1876, and is regarded as one of the choicest pieces of real estate in San Francisco. For years the directors of the Spring Valley Water Works have discussed from time to time the proposition to erect on the big lot a building commensurate with the expansion of the City and the wealth of the water corporation. Conservative directors at first glance opposed the plan, fearing that the building enterprise would impose additional burdens on ratepayers, but finally their objections were overcome when facts and figures were submitted showing beyond reasonable doubt that the income from a modern edifice six or seven stories high would justify the outlay and return a handsome profit on the investment.
"In due time the well-known architect, Clinton Day, was requested to prepare plans in accordance with the suggestions of the directors and submit the same to the board. The plans were accordingly drawn and have been accepted, subject to some slight modifications. The new building will afford ample office accommodations for the president, engineers, cashier, collectors and superintendents of the company. As the building will cover a fifty-vara lot there will be many apartments for rent, and in this location it will not be a hard task to secure desirable tenants. The offices facing north and west will command a fine view of Union square."
A drawing of the new building for the site that appeared on page 16 of the Chronicle's issue of April 10, 1896. Thanks to Peter Field for locating it. He notes: "The Spring Valley Water Company building was erected there in 1896 and 1897, with the main tenant being the City of Paris and the SVWC occupying the top two floors."
An article in the November 19, 1928 Chronicle (also reproduced at the bottom of the page) asserted that the SVWC/City of Paris
building was built not only on the lot where the Wigwam stood but
the sites of a church and graveyard to the east. Peter disputes that and comments:
The almost completed building. Thanks to Peter Field for finding the illustration in the San Francisco Public Library collection.
The ruins after the fire and earthquake of 1906. Thanks to Peter Field for the photo from an unknown archive. He notes that the shell was saved and a new interior constructed for the City of Paris department store.
Status: The SVWC/City of Paris Building has been demolished. The dome that had been inside the building's entrance at the center of the Geary St. facade is the only thing that was saved. The current Neiman Marcus building dates from 1982. The dome was repositioned at the entrance of the new building at the corner of Geary and Stockton. Thanks to William David French Jr. for the data.
Republicans build a new hall: In 1890 the Republicans built a new hall at at Eddy and Jones, a building known at different times as the Republican Wigwam, the National Theatre and the Auditorium. In 1898 it was replaced by the Alhambra Theatre. See that page for a history of the site, now the location of Boeddeker Park.
In 1896 the Republicans reorganized as the "McKinley Invincibles" and were again using the Auditorium as
their campaign headquarters. This picture of their leader Theodore Reichert and a discussion of his accomplishments appeared on page 11 of the August 14, 1896 issue of the Chronicle. Thanks to Peter Field for locating the item. It mentions that the Wigwam at Geary and Stockton had been constructed under his leadership.
Later use of the Wigwam name: Evidently there were several tent theatres
using the Wigwam name in Golden Gate Park and/or the Mission district that Joe Bauer and two partners operated following the 1906 earthquake. They opened a wood-frame Wigwam Theatre in the Mission in 1907. That was succeeded in 1913 by a more permanent structure, also called the Wigwam. See the Crown Theatre page for information on that one. It was also known as the New Rialto and the Cine Latino.
More Information: Peter M. Field's 2018 Arcadia Publishing book "The Tenderloin District of San Francisco Through Time" is available from your neighborhood bookstore or through Amazon. He comments: "In the 1890s the Tenderloin stretched from around Grant
or Stockton west to Taylor or Jones Street, not as far west as it is
now, which is why I include what is now Union Square in my research."
See "The Wigwam," chapter 8 of George Hanlin and Alan Harrison's "Famous Playhouses of San Francisco." It's a 1942 publication from the Writers' Program of the WPA that was sponsored by the City and County of San Francisco. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating it on Internet Archive. This publication formed the the basis of Edmond M. Gagey's "The San Francisco Stage," Columbia University Press, 1950.
The Wigwam and the adventures of Walter Morosco were discussed in this page six article about Stockton St. in the November 19, 1928 Chronicle. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for locating it.
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