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| Landmark #136 | Monterey County | Visited: January 17, 2015 | Plaque? NO. 🙁 |
| What is it? | The refurbished first theatre of California! |
| What makes it historical? | THE GUIDE SAYS: This building was built about 1844 as a sailor’s lodging house by Jack Swan. In 1848 it was commandeered by a group of mustered-out soldiers of Colonel Stevenson’s regiment of New Yorkers looking for a place to put on plays and comedies. The theater afterward served as a whaling station, a lookout station having been added to the roof.
OTHER TIDBITS: Jack Swan built this theatre and tavern from lumber he salvaged from a shipwreck! Tickets were $5 each on opening night, and about 100 theatre patrons were in attendance! California’s first play, unfortunately, was not recorded! |
| How can I Help the Helpers? | HERE’S HOW:
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| Where is this place? | LISTED DIRECTIONS: Monterey State Historic Park SW corner of Scott and Pacific Sts Monterey, CA 93940 ANNOTATIONS: From Los Angeles: ~320mi (515km) — 5.4hrs |
| When should I go? | Visit the exterior whenever you like, but since the building has fallen into disrepair, it’s no longer open to the public! |