The January artifact is a January 1932 movie program from Healdsburg’s old Plaza Theater.  The 10.5” x 14” cardboard handbill is one of 12 in a series that was donated to the Healdsburg City Archives before the 1960s.  The item is not accessioned. 

The Plaza Theater was located at 335 West Street (Healdsburg Avenue) on the west side of the street between Plaza and North streets, a few doors down from the Plaza Hotel.  The newly-refurbished Plaza Theater took Healdsburg by storm in May 1930 under the ownership of the T and D Junior Chain.  The new “picture show theater” boasted that they will be booking “some of the best Talkies that the cinema world affords!”  This 1932 schedule shows the cinematic offerings that month.

Larry Killingsworth took over management of the Plaza Theater in 1931.  He operated the movie theater until 1940 when he sold it to the George Mann Theater Organization.  In 1956, when a fire of undetermined origin severely damaged the Plaza Theater, the building was vacant and had not been occupied for approximately five years.   

Sources:

Healdsburg Tribune, 9 December 1940; 2 September 1949; 5 July 1956.

Polk’s Santa Rosa and Sonoma County Directory, 1938.

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map of Healdsburg, 1911-1950

Sotoyome Scimitar 1 May 1930; 3 December 1931.

The above was researched and written by Holly Hoods.

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