Sarah Lim: Entertaining Mercedians in the Victorian Era

The magical music from a 1905 Edison home phonograph, donated by Alan and Martie McMurry, filled the Courthouse Museum office the other day.

While enjoying the high-pitched “Nearer My God to Thee” and having a difficult time figuring out if this was indeed an all-male Knickerbocker Quartet, I began to wonder what Merced’s social life was like in the Victorian era before home entertainment became popular.

Back then public entertainment such as plays must have been the high point of our rural community’s social calendar, and a closer look at the early history of Merced playhouses sheds light on the theatrical activities of our town.

In 1873 when Merced was about one year old, Washington Hall was built and became the first theatre in Merced. However, this two-story frame structure was not adequate for traveling companies, especially when the hall was located on the second floor which made it difficult to move sets.

While shows in the 1870s were limited, it was about to change due to the vision of a saddle maker by the name of Henry William Leeker. Settling in Merced in 1875, Leeker opened his first saddlery and harness shop on 16th Street between K and Canal streets. With the help of his son, Edward William, he soon established more shops and acquired lots to erect buildings.

In the early 1880s, there was a void for show business in Merced even though many companies traveled up and down the San Joaquin Valley between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Leeker must have seen the opportunity to attract some of these acts and decided to convert a stable on M Street between Main and 18th streets into a public hall. The stalls became private dressing rooms, a large stage with the necessary scenery was lit by 14 gas footlights, and a hall with light brackets and chandeliers was large enough to accommodate 500 people. In addition, there was a ticket office, kitchen, and reception rooms.

The work of remodeling was nearly complete by early 1884 as Leeker planned to open the hall for public use on Feb. 1. Leeker called his new hall “Leeker’s Opera House” and believed his hard work would result in bringing first-class theatrical performances.

Christening this new building was actually not a show, but a ball held by the Native Sons of the Golden West on Feb. 22. It was George Washington’s birthday. The outcome of this event was so successful that it was compared to the opening ball of the El Capitan Hotel 12 years earlier. The local newspaper, San Joaquin Valley Argus, described the ball as “one of the most magnificent affairs which ever took place in our town.”

The triumph of the success was soon followed by the first traveling show by the Langrishe Theatre Company. As a frontier entertainer, John S. Langrishe was a familiar figure in the mining towns of the West and often performed to packed houses with his troupe including his wife, Jenette. On April 14 and 15, 1884, Langrishe and company made their appearance at Leeker’s Opera House and caused quite an excitement in the Merced community. As the show closed its curtain in Merced, Leeker’s Opera House reached a milestone, proving its ability to host traveling acts and providing new entertainment for Merced.

The next company which came to Merced for a one-night performance appeared to be another test for Leeker’s Opera House. The New York Madison Square Theatre had much success with its romantic comedy titled “The Rajah” in 1883 and began touring. Produced by the famous Frohman brothers, Gustave and Charles, the play was performed in Merced on August 7, 1884. Leeker’s Opera House was able to accommodate the type of scenery and staging equipment meant for theatres in larger cities.

As traveling companies big and small continued to choose Leeker’s Opera House as their touring venue, local talents also took advantage of the theatre. “The Drunkard,” a moral drama, was unveiled at the Opera House on May 10, 1887. The play was presented by Merced Lodge of The International Organization of Good Templars to benefit the Good Templar’s Home for the Orphans in Vallejo. The Merced amateurs’ performance led by A. W. Seley as Edward Middleton was so well received that some audience suggested more homegrown acts like this should be given at least once every three months.

The era of Leeker’s Opera House came to an end in the early 20th century when its land was used to build a new city hall. The demise of Leeker’s Opera House gave rise to Barcroft Opera House on Main Street; then there was also a short-lived theatre called “The Orpheum” on Canal Street. Opera houses became artifacts of the Victorian era as movie theatres like Elite and the old Merced Theatre emerged onto Merced’s cultural and art scene in the early 20th century.