All That Jazz


In honor of this weekend's 38th Annual Sacramento Jazz Festival & Jubilee, I decided to drag out some old jazz club ads I found during my microfilm research this last year. The ads are from the late 1940s and 1950s when the West End (now downtown and Capitol Mall) was really hopping.

The West End has a long and interesting history, which I hope to give justice in telling some day. For now, I'll quote an article written by Stephen Magagnini in the Sacramento Bee on June 5, 2005, describing the West End as:
"a multiethnic neighborhood between 10th Street and the Sacramento River that was home to citizens of Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Mexican and African descent, as well as nightclubs, card clubs and brothels. The Bee once called it one of the worst slums in the nation."
Here are the places for which I have found ads thus far:

Nitz Jackson's Zanzibar: 530 M Street (Capitol Avenue); at the southwest corner of 6th and Capitol.


This former restaurant/bar was transformed into a club in 1941 and remained open until November 1949.

The Zanzibar had performers over the years like Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Roy "Little Jazz" Eldridge, Saunders King, Edith Griffin, Sunny Gonsalves, Hunter Gray Trio and Vincent Theodore "Ted" Thompson's combo, to name a few.



Hovey Moore's MoMo Club: Across the street from the Zanzibar, also at 6th and Capitol. Open until the mid-1950s.


Back in the day many entertainers played at the MoMo, including Duke Ellington, Josephine Baker, Jay Payton, Stuffy Bryant, Leroy Harold, Harrel Wiley, Lil Allen Robinson, Gene Morris, Emily Foster, The Rhythmettes, Leo Valentine Trio, Opal Mann, Four Sharps and a Natural, and Betty Shepherd.






Al Oxman's Clayton Club: 1126 7th Street, in the former Clayton Hotel which became the Hotel Marshall in the 1940s.


At the Clayton Club headliners such as Cab Calloway, Billie Holiday, The Treniers, Gene Bell, Happy Johnson Quintette, and many others performed here.









Redevelopment of the West End began in the late 1950s and early 1960s. These days, most nearby jazz heard playing is in Old Sacramento.


Apparently there were other clubs as well, such as the Cotton Club on 6th Street Between J and K, and the Congo Club at 329 Capitol Avenue -- I'll have to see if I can find any vintage ads from these clubs during my microfilm researching.

Stay cool this weekend, hepcats!
Posted by Gretchen at Friday, May 27, 2011 5 comments
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Mystery MCM Mosaic


Sometimes I get lucky and run across something that just feels right. For instance, I found this mid-century modern mosaic during the last 15 minutes it was for sale on eBay back in 2002. It was being sold by someone in San Diego who knew very little about it. All I knew was that my husband and I instantly fell in love with it and bought it for our second anniversary.

It's been quite a trip ever since. Turns out another bidder was writing a book and wanted to include the mosaic in it. We had it professionally photographed for him and sent the slides off to Australia. You can find it on page 68 in the 2003 book Beatsville by Martin McIntosh of Outré Gallery. Check out the gallery and Martin's other cool book Taboo: The Art of Tiki. Highly recommended reading!

Last year I happened to notice an awesome and eerily similar mosaic in the home of my buddy and Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour co-coordinator, Dane Henas.


The colors and scale were about the same as our mystery mosaic. Dane explained his mosaic was by well-known mid-century artists Jerome and Evelyn Ackerman. In addition to their wonderful website, you can read more about them here and here.

Mermaid, mosaic panel, 1957.
Elipses, mosaic panel, 1958 via AckermanModern.com




Aha, I thought. A clue! I immediately contacted the Ackermans who thought our untitled mosaic was designed in the late 1950s by their associate, architect Sherrill Broudy. That's where my trail has ended to date.

Yesterday I ran across a great website -- Mid-Centuria -- and to my surprise I saw our mystery mosaic! With kind words acknowledging it came from my Flickr photostream and a plea for further information about the artist.

Sigh. Alas, the mosaic remains a mystery. If anyone out there can positively identify the piece or the artist, we'd be very thankful.
Posted by Gretchen at Monday, May 23, 2011 0 comments
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1949: Crest Theatre's Gala Premiere

Via Sacramento Public Library: Sacramento Room's Digital Collection

"When you pass thru this portal
You leave all cares behind you."

The above quote greets all who enter the Crest Theatre -- a historic city landmark and a place of many memories for multiple generations in Sacramento. In this post, I'm going to share some pictures and information regarding the Crest Theatre's Gala Premiere on October 6, 1949.

The Crest Theatre has had a long and complicated history dating back almost 100 years. Here is a brief overview:

Empress Theatre: In 1912, it was first built as the Empress, a vaudeville theater started by Big Tim Sullivan and John W. Considine. They hired Seattle architect Lee DeCamp and the doors opened on January 19, 1913. Alexander Kaiser, father of famous mid-century designer Ray Eames, was the manager.

The Hippodrome: In 1918, the Empress became the Hippodrome, which showed both vaudeville acts and films. In 1927, the Hippodrome became a full-time movie theater. A fire gutted the interior in the 1940s and later, in 1946, the marquee came crashing down without warning, injuring three people and killing Mrs. R.S. Potter who was visiting from Alta in Placer County. Subsequently, Fox West Coast Theatres decided to tear down the Hippodrome to the original brick walls and start anew.

Via the Center for Sacramento History's Eugene Hepting Collection

In 1949, construction began for the Crest Theatre, designed this time by architects Cantin and Cantin from San Francisco.


According to a two-page advertisement placed in the Sacramento Bee on October 5, 1949:
"The Crest Theatre is the consummation of an ideal. In creating it, we of Fox West Coast Theatres sought the ultimate in perfection in Motion Picture Theatre Construction. To achieve this goal, we engaged the most progressive and modern creators in the engineering, architectural and decorative professions. To their knowledge, we added the years of research of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences -- together with the exhibition experience of our own organization. All were carefully welded to bring to reality -- the perfect theatre -- a model of theatre construction for years to come; a theatre embodying the miracles of modern science and comfort, blending beauty and graciousness with practical utility...."
Photos taken October 29, 1949 - Via Sacramento Public Library: Sacramento Room's Digital Collection


 From my Flickr photostream

The Crest Theatre's Gala Premiere was held Thursday, October 6, 1949. Five-thousand people attended the festivities, including: several stars of the film That Midnight Kiss; Governor Earl Warren; and Mayor Belle Cooledge. According to the article in the Sacramento Bee the next day, there were "giant searchlights... two floor shows, free orchids, sleek black limousines" and lots of "stiff shirted Fox West Coast executives."

 From my Flickr photostream

The event was also covered by a MovieTone news reel: "Governor Warren Attends Opening of Crest Theatre" which can be seen via History of Movie Theatres in Sacramento by KVIE.

Stills from History of Movie Theatres in Sacramento by KVIE

The Crest Theatre continued to show films until 1979, when it closed, according to the Crest's website, due to "a variety of factors including the decline of the K Street mall, television and multiplexes....  From 1980 to 1986, various people tried to operate the theatre with out much luck." In 1986, a spirited group of people renovated the Crest. Go here for a fascinating, amusing and detailed history, which included a re-opening featuring the film Singin' in the Rain and a visit by Donald O'Connor.

In 1995, the Crest was treated to a $1 million dollar makeover to restore it to its original grandeur. More recently, the Crest's neon marquee was refurbished after 60 years. The sign for the September 21, 2009 re-lighting ceremony proclaimed "10 stories high, 2 miles of neon, 1 fantastic sign!"

The future of the Crest continues to look bright after Bob Emerick purchased it earlier this year with the promise of protecting and preserving it. More here.

If you're like me and can't get enough of the beautiful Crest Theatre, I highly recommend checking out photographs lovingly taken over the years by talented photographer Tom Spaulding.

 Vintage postcard of K Street, including the Crest Theatre, from my Flickr photostream
Posted by Gretchen at Saturday, May 14, 2011 5 comments
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1961 Custom Residence of James C. Dodd, FAIA For Sale


James C. Dodd was Sacramento's first African-American licensed architect and worked on several key Sacramento landmarks in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. In 1982 he was admitted to the AIA (American Institute of Architects) College of Fellows for outstanding contribution to the profession and public service.

Mr. Dodd's personal custom residence is currently for sale. I am not an agent or affiliated with one, but I was honored to take photographs of this home to celebrate Mr. Dodd's memory and document his work. The home has true mid-century details and materials throughout. It needs some patience, vision, and mid-century modern love to make it shine. It is located in the Golf Course Village neighborhood, right below Bing Maloney Golf Course. Here are two historical ads I found while looking at microfilm (1, 2) from 1955 that reflect other modern homes in the neighborhood.

Mr. Dodd graduated from UC Berkeley in 1952. He became a member of AIA in 1957. In addition to working at the firms of Baravetto +Thomas and McCabe, Cox + Liske, he opened his own firm in 1960.

Mr. Dodd's projects (per his self report to the AIA, his obituary, and my research) in Sacramento region included:
- Brutalist-style Crocker Art Museum Herold Wing expansion (1969) (Associate architect with McCabe, Cox & Liske);
- Aerojet Prototype Housing, 1969;
- Sacramento Community/Convention Center;
- Shiloh Baptist Church, 1961;
- Sacramento Capitol City S.D.A. Church;
- science building at UC Davis;
- the redesign of Sacramento High School;
- Rescue Elementary School in El Dorado Hills;
- Jackson Elementary School in El Dorado Hills, 1969;
- Holly Heights in Willits;
- Walnut Village in Ukiah;
- Cypress Ridge (a solar energy project) in Fort Bragg;
- Sunshine Manor in Lakeport;
- Highlands Village in Clearlake Highlands.

Of note, the Center for Sacramento History recognizes the importance of Mr. Dodd's contribution as Sacramento's first African American architect and has an archive record of several drawings as well as a few photographs taken of him at the height of his career.

Mr. Dodd worked tirelessly in the community, including but not limited to: doing public service for Big Brothers; being president of the Central Valley chapter of the American Institute of Architects; giving speeches with Toastmasters and serving as chairman of the Board of Governors of the CA Community Colleges.

I am posting this as a public service to those who are interested and love MCM design and architecture as much as I do. I was happy to document this home for historical purposes and to honor the memory of Sacramento's first African-American architect.
Posted by Gretchen at Friday, May 06, 2011 12 comments
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Armet & Davis in Sacramento: Remembering Eldon Davis


Sad day in Googieland, my friends. Eldon Davis, of Armet, Davis, Newlove Architects in Los Angeles passed away last Friday. I've posted before about their work here in Sacramento and wanted to elaborate further today. More on that below but first a little history.

(Aside: I've been hobbling around post-surgery and became aware of Mr. Davis' passing via the personal and public Facebook pages of Alan Hess, Mid-Century Modern Fresno, John Crosse of Southern California Architectural History, MH of Modernesia, and SH of Modern Tulsa to name a few. Many thanks to them for alerting me to the news.)

 via Valerie J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times

Per Mr. Eldon's obituary from the Los Angeles Times:
"With architect Louis Armet, Davis opened a local firm in 1947 and developed a reputation for being willing to try almost anything to catch the attention of motorists who sped by.

The architects were chief proponents of Googie, named for a now-defunct cafe in West Hollywood, and derided by critics in the 1950s and 1960s 'who didn't think a lot of our work but we didn't care,' said Victor Newlove, a partner in the firm who started as an intern in the 1960s.

With their soaring and exaggerated roof lines, their buildings appeared to defy gravity, a structural innovation for which Davis was largely responsible....
Neon signs became a trademark, and they devised an animated sign for Pann's, a coffee shop in Westchester. Run by the same family since it opened in 1958, the restaurant is probably the best preserved example of Davis' work, Newlove said....

Other Davis designs include prototypes for local Denny's and Bob's Big Boy restaurants, blueprints that were exported across the country.

'They brought modern architecture to the daily life of the average Angeleno,' said Alan Hess, who wrote the 2004 book "Googie Redux."

'There's a great deal of interest and affection for their buildings,' Hess said. 'The work of Armet and Davis is as significant to Southern California as Richard Neutra or Rudolph Schindler.'"


During my microfilm searches, I've run across three buildings by Armet & Davis in Sacramento thus far. The following is by no means an exhaustive list but simply what I've verified to date.


1962: SAM'S BIG TOP RESTAURANT. (Note the similarities to Norm's in picture above!)

From my microfilm research, Sacramento Bee, February 11, 1962, page D12 -- "DOWNTOWN RESTAURANT -- Construction is scheduled to start at 16th and K Streets about March 1st on the Big Top, a restaurant to be operated by Pioneer Restaurants, Inc., headed by Sam Gordon. The facility will occupy the site of the former Stan's Drive in. Containing 3,650 square feet of floor space, the restaurant will feature 24 hour booth and counter service. It will have seating accommodations for 97 persons and parking space in the rear for 45 cars. The restaurant will be decorated in a circus theme."

Sadly, Sam's Big Top Restaurant at the corner of 16th & K Streets is no longer there. But thanks to the power of microfilm research, we can enjoy the pictures of it after it was newly constructed:



1964: EPPIE'S COFFEE SHOP. I've written about this still existing but unoccupied building before. But here are some "new" pictures from my microfilm research.


Rendering from the Sacramento Bee, Sunday Jan 19, 1964 p. C6 -- "Angular roof lines are key feature of Louis Armet's design for Eppie's Coffee Shop, a $250,000 development on which work has begun at 30th and N Streets"


Photo from my microfilm research - Sacramento Bee, Sunday June 21, 1964 p. D24 -- "OPERATING - Eppie's Restaurant and Coffee Shop, a $285,000 folded roof structure, opened last week at 30th and N Streets, a corner on which one motel was recently built and construction of another is about to begin. The restaurant is operated by Sacramento caterer Eppie Johnson under a lease from Edwin J. Bedell, former capital hotel man and restauranteur. The structure was designed by the Los Angeles architectural firm of Armet and Davis."

1968: EPPIE'S COFFEE SHOP #2


Photo from my microfilm research, Sacramento Bee, Saturday August 17, 1968 p. D5 -- "NEW AREA RESTAURANT - Eppie's Restaurant No. 2 opened last Thursday at 6431 Florin Road. The restaurant has a California modern decore (sic) in an orange color scheme. The Lawrence Construction Co. of Sacramento was the contractor for the 4,000 square foot building designe by the architect (sic)  firm of Armet & Davis of Los Angeles. The restaurant represents a total investment of $390,000."

I'll be keeping an eye out for more Armet & Davis designs in Sacramento. For more pictures and information on Googie architecture in Sacramento, please visit my incomplete and ever-expanding Flickr set.
Posted by Gretchen at Wednesday, April 27, 2011 5 comments
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Life at Dreyfuss & Blackford in 2011

I'm so happy to be sharing a fun video recently posted by Jason A. Silva et al. of Dreyfuss & Blackford Architects. It's a glimpse into their life and work at D&B in the present -- with a nod to their past, of course. Their firm put this together for an open house event with AIACV. Love this!


2011 Dreyfuss & Blackford Life from Jason A. Silva, AIA on Vimeo.

You can keep up with their current and future work by checking out Jason's other Vimeo posts,  Dreyfuss & Blackford's Flickr photostream and website.



I've posted before about the work of Dreyfuss & Blackford in three separate posts (see 1 2 3). There is still so much to say about this Sacramento architectural firm who has been going strong for over 60 years!
Posted by Gretchen at Friday, April 15, 2011 2 comments
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Thanks for joining us at the Crocker Art Museum for Visual Acoustics

Introductions by Ian Merker, AIACV and Gretchen Steinberg, SacMod

Many, many thanks for those of you who joined us at the successful screening of Visual Acoustics at the Crocker Art Museum on Thursday, April 7, 2011. We were pleased and humbled to see the event almost sold out. Thanks to the Crocker Art Museum for collaborating with AIACV and SacMod and letting us use their new and beautiful state-of-the-art venue. Thanks also to Director Eric Bricker for making his wonderful film (his first!) and taking the time out of his busy schedule to join us.

Our educational display with photos taken by Julius Shulman in Sacramento
Eric Bricker, Director of Visual Acoustics and Gretchen Steinberg, SacMod
Dane Henas from SacMod being goofy -- doing his best Vanna White impression, ha ha!

We presented an educational display with several photos that Julius Shulman took in Sacramento in the early 1960s. We decided to seek them out and research them at the last minute so people could enjoy a special connection with him in our town. Many thanks to historian John Crosse (who was also a researcher for Visual Acoustics), JW and B for their contributions to our educational display. Thanks also to Ian Merker from AIACV (our colleague and co-presenter extraordinaire) for printing the images and providing the materials to display the images. Special thanks also to our former SacMod colleague Kris Lannin Liang who had to move away from Sacramento but initially worked on this event.

Jerry Blomberg and Dane Henas with an original copy of an ad featuring Jerry's Sacramento home

My favorite Shulman pictures taken in Sacramento are of a home in South Land Park Estates; these were featured in a 1961 ad for American Saint Gobain glass. The home was collaboratively designed by homeowner Jerry Blomberg and George Muraki, with George Muraki being the architect on record. Last year we printed the ad we had researched for the Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour display. Little did we know at the time that the images were taken by Julius Shulman. I invited Mr. Blomberg to join us at the event and was so pleased to see him show up -- with his own copy of the ad and another magazine article that I had been looking for but was unable to find in time!

Director Eric Bricker leading a post-screening discussion

Here are more photos taken at the event. Thanks again to everyone who made the event possible; and a shout-out to Midtown Monthly and to Sacramento area bloggers Davis Life Magazine, Mimomito, Rebecca Crowther of Sac History Happenings (Sacramento Bee), Capitol Creative Collective, Glitter and Grunge and our Twitter friends for helping spread the word.



Posted by Gretchen at Sunday, April 10, 2011 0 comments
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Did you know that Julius Shulman photographed several Sacramento buildings?

We will be sharing some of these photographs with you in person at Crocker Art Museum's Film Frame: Visual Acoustics this Thursday evening. My favorite photos of the bunch are of a residence designed by Sacramento architect George Muraki for the Blomberg family. You may recall that Mr. Muraki's personal home was featured in the Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour last June.


Why not come directly to the Crocker after work? Remember -- admission includes access to the museum. Have a bite to eat at the Crocker Cafe and relax with a cocktail.

See Crocker's website for details on buying tickets. Hope to see you there.
Posted by Gretchen at Wednesday, April 06, 2011 4 comments
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