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Fraternal Aid Opera House

NE corner of S. Gordon St. & W. 3rd St. Pomona, CA 91766 | map |


Opened: 1903 as the Fraternal Aid Opera House, built by the group Pomona Fraternal Aid. The building was also known as the Pomona Opera House. The early undated photo is in the collection of the Pomona Public Library. On the side of the building it says "Fraternal Aid Erected A.D. 1903."

Two blocks east on 3rd from this 1903 building was the site of an earlier Pomona Opera House, a building at 3rd & Thomas that burned in 1895. A later building on that site was the entrance to the California/United Artists Theatre. Another block farther east and we're at the location of the much later Fox Pomona. Another building in Pomona to use the name opera house was the Armory Opera House on 2nd between Gordon & Park. The Armory later became a film house using the name La Pictoria and, later, the American Theatre. 
 
 

The Opera House is seen in this detail from image 26 of the 1906 Sanborn Insurance Map in the Library of Congress collection. The hay, grain & produce merchant was on the 1st floor, the theatre on 2 and 3. That's 2nd St. along the bottom of the image, Gordon on the left. The stairs seen at the alley end of the building were the theatre's entrance.

The building can also be seen on image 29 of the 1911 Sanborn Map in the Library of Congress collection. 

The Fraternal Aid Opera House is listed in the 1912/13 and 1914 city directories as being at the NE corner of Gordon & 3rd. 

Closing: The date is unknown. 

Status: It's been demolished. The site is now a parking lot.
 

Searching for a missing Opera House. It once was on the left where the parking lot now is. On the extreme left is Gordon St. Straight ahead it's a view east on 3rd with the tower of the Fox in the distance. Photo: Google Maps - 2019

More information: Sorry, but there isn't any at the moment.

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