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