Merced Theatre (Los Angeles, California) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Merced Theater |
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Merced Theater in Los Angeles Plaza
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| Location | 420 Main St, Los Angeles |
| Built | 1870 |
| Designated | March 6, 1935 |
| Reference no. | 171 |
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The Merced Theater is a historic building in Los Angeles. It was the very first theater in the old town of Los Angeles, known as the Pueblo. You can find it at 420 North Main Street. It's right next to the famous Pico House and close to Los Angeles Plaza, which was the city's main square long ago. This theater became a special California Historical Landmark (number 171) on March 6, 1935.
Building Style
The Merced Theater is built with bricks in a style called Victorian Italianate. This means it has features like tall windows and decorative details. The same person, Ezra F. Kysor, designed this theater and the Pico House next door.
Theater History
In 1849, a cabinetmaker named William Abbott moved to Los Angeles. He became an important person in the city. In the 1850s, Abbott bought land in the heart of the old Spanish and Mexican city. He planned to build a theater on one of his lots.
In 1869, he started building the theater. He named it after his wife, Merced Garcia. Mercedes Garcia was from a powerful Los Angeles family. She also taught music and art at a school. Mercedes Garcia Abbott managed the theater. She wanted to bring fancy performances to the area. She also wanted to become an important person in society.
The Merced Theater was a three-story building. It was designed to be as grand as the Pico House nearby. William Abbott's furniture store was on the first floor. The theater itself was on the second floor. The Abbott family lived on the third floor. There were even doors connecting the theater to the Pico House. This allowed people to easily move between the two buildings.
The Merced Theater showed live plays from 1871 to 1876. After that, it started showing different kinds of performances. In 1876, another theater called Wood's Opera House opened. Also, there was a smallpox outbreak. Because of these things, the Merced Theater was no longer the most popular. It closed in 1877. After that, it was used for less formal events. In the 1880s, it became known for hosting dances.
The building also had stores. One famous store was Barker and Allen. This store later became Barker Bros., a big furniture chain.
The theater building was fixed up in the 1960s and 1980s. It was empty from 1985 to 2014. Now, people are working to renovate it again. They plan to use it as a TV studio.
Who Built It?
William Abbott (1830-1879) came from Switzerland. He married Maria Merced Garcia (1839–1908) in 1858. Maria Merced Garcia grew up in Los Angeles. Her parents were Jose Antonio Garcia and Maria Guadalupe Uribe. William and Maria had eleven children.
Historical Marker
A special sign at the site tells us about the theater:
- NO. 171 MERCED THEATRE -The Merced Theatre was built in 1870 and is one of the oldest structures erected in Los Angeles for the presentation of dramatic performances. It served as the center of theatrical activity in the city from 1871 to 1876. The theatre was built by William Abbot, the son of Swiss immigrants who settled in Los Angeles in 1854. In 1858, he married the woman for whom he would name the theatre, Maria Merced Garcia, the daughter of Jose Antonio Garcia and Maria Guadalupe Uribe, who were long-time residents of the Los Angeles pueblo."
See also
Additional Links
- "Pico House, Merced Theater and Masonic Lodge" (1875)
- "Early Los Angeles City Views (1800s)", Water and Power Association
