Richard Clowdus Memorial Auditorium renovation collectionMS0124
Kim Hayden
Center for Sacramento History
2022
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Center for Sacramento History
Title: Richard Clowdus Memorial Auditorium renovation collection
Identifier/Call Number: MS0124
Physical Description:
1.75 Linear Feet
1 carton, 1 manuscript boxes, one blueprint roll.
Date (inclusive): 1896-1999
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Acquired from Richard Clowdus in 2011, 2013, and 2016 (accession numbers 2011/046, 2013/005, and 2016/037).
Biographical / Historical
Richard Clowdus was involved in the restoration of Sacramento Memorial Auditorium in the 1990s, which is the focus of his
collection. He sat on the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium Citizen's Advisory Committee and was treasurer of the Friends of
Sacramento Memorial Auditorium.
Memorial Auditorium, owned and operated by the City of Sacramento, is located on J Street between 15th and 16th streets. It
was originally designed by City Architect James Dean, Arthur Brown Jr., and G. Albert Landsburgh, and was constructed from
1925 to 1927. After opening in 1927, the auditorium operated as Sacramento's main entertainment and civic venue through 1986,
when it was closed due to seismic safety concerns. The building was renovated and reopened in 1996, due in part to the efforts
of the Friends of the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium and the City of Sacramento.
The collection also documents the Mason and Ladue families of Sacramento, and Mason's Laundry. Fred Mason founded Mason's
Laundry (later Mason's Steam Laundry) in 1880 at 528 J Street. It later moved to 2030 O Street and was run by his widow, Caroline,
after his death in 1901. The Ladue family includes Roseville native and Sacramento building contractor William B. Ladue, who
was married to Minnie Ladue and died in 1961 at age 79; and their son, William E. Ladue, a Sacramento structural engineer
who was married to Mildred Everett Ladue, and died in 1996 at age 1964. It is unclear how the Masons, Ladues, and Clowdus
are related.
Scope and Contents
The majority of the collection documents the push to renovate Sacramento Memorial Auditorium in the 1990s. A very small portion
of the collection documents the William Ladue and Fred Mason families of Sacramento during the 1890s to 1940s.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into two series:
- Series 1. Memorial Auditorium renovation, 1925-1999
- Series 2. Ladue and Mason families, 1896-1941
Series 1. Memorial Auditorium renovation
1925-1999
1979-1999
Scope and Contents
This series documents the push to renovate Sacramento Memorial Auditorium and the activities of the Friends of the Sacramento
Memorial Auditorium, of which Clowdus was a member. Material includes reports and studies related to the building and engineering,
original plans, committee records, and records related to restoration of the pipe organ.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Acquired from Richard Clowdus in 2013 and 2016 (accession numbers 2013/005 and 2016/037).
box 1, folder 1
Architectural Programming Study
1988
box 1, folder 2-4
Sacramento Memorial Auditorium Restoration, Citizen's Advisory Committee, v.1
1992-1995
box 1, folder 5-7
Sacramento Memorial Auditorium Restoration, Citizen's Advisory Committee, v.2
1996-1999
box 1, folder 8-10
Convention Center annual reports
1974-1990
box 1, folder 11-12
Estey pipe organ restoration
1989-1998
box 1, folder 13-18
Engineering reports andrecommendations
1980-1994
box 1, folder 19
Geotechnical Report - Memorial Auditorium Renovation
1989
box 1, folder 20
Materials Testing and Geotechnical Investigation for Sacramento Memorial Auditorium Renovation
1989
box 1, folder 21, box 2, folder 1
Memorial Auditorium Background Information
1990
box 2, folder 2
Memorial Auditorium Moveable Floor Report
1992
box 2, folder 3
Memorial Auditorium Renovation - History Artifact Subcommittee Report
1990
box 2, folder 4
Memorial Auditorium Task 2 Report
1979
box 2, folder 5
Negatives of original plans of Memorial Auditorium
1925
box 2, folder 6
Newspaper clippings
1991-1998
Memorial Auditorium blueprints
Original blueprints of Memorial Auditorium plans
1925
box 2, folder 7
Sacramento Memorial Auditorium History Study, v.1
1990
box 3, folder 1
Sacramento Memorial Auditorium History Study, v.2
1990
box 3, folder 2-3
Save the Auditorium! and Measure H
1988-1992
Series 2. Mason and Ladue families
1896-1941
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Richard Clowdus, 2011 (accession number 2011/046).
Processing Information
Processed by Kim Hayden, 2021.
Scope and Contents
This series documents the Ladue and Mason families of Sacramento. It includes photographs, yearbooks, and a letter. Notably,
there are photos of Mason's Laundry interior, exterior, delivery wagons, and workers dating from 1900 to 1910 when it operated
on O Street. Also included are photographs of Mason family members Conrad and Dora Mason, though it is unclear how they are
related to laundry proprietors Fred and Caroline Mason. Material related to the Ladue family is specific to William B. Ladue;
his son William E. Ladue; and William E.'s wife Mildred Everett Ladue.
Volume C. K. McClatchy High School 1941
C. K. McClatchy High School yearbook ("Nugget")
1941
box 3, folder 4
Individual portraits of Conrad and Dora Mason
1901-1902
box 3, folder 4
Letter to Mildred Everett inviting her to Gamma Delta Club initiation
1930-05-13
box 3, folder 4
Mason's Steam Laundry photographs
1900-1910
General
Four photos, showing show horse-drawn wagons in front of the laundry building at 21st and O streets; a large group of workers
in front of the building; and women at work at machines inside the building.
Mapcase MC 11:13
Portrait of Dora Mason on horse
1902
box 3, folder 4
Sacramento City Elementary Schools graduation program
1929-01-25
Volume Sacramento Junior College 1931
Sacramento Junior College yearbook ("Pioneer")
1931
Volume Sacramento Junior College 1944
Sacramento Junior College yearbook ("Pioneer")
1944
Volume Sacramento High School 1941
Sacramento High School yearbook ("Review")
1941
box 3, folder 4
Sutter Grammar School class photograph
1896-06
General
Children are identified on the back of the photo.
box 3, folder 4
William Ladue with Western Bakery horse-drawn wagon photograph
ca. 1900