Sutter Creek, California

David Nathan purchased this building in 1858, which was M. Cohen's Clothing Store. This building also survived the 1862, 1865, and 1888 fires.

The F. Coblentz and Brother Store are part of the oldest structures in Sutter Creek. This building survived the 1888 devasting fire.

The Ratto Theater was built in 1919. In 1919, the theatre was near completion, but the deadly Spanish Influenza epidemic closed all of Sutter Creek's public buildings and delayed its grand opening for almost a year.

While the records have been lost, rumor has it that the theatre opened on March 5, 1920, playing D.W. Griffiths "Hearts of the World" starring Lillian Gish. The Sutter Creek Theatre is the only surviving theatre of the original four.

More on the Ratto Theatre

Information, historical photographs courtesy of the Amador County Archives, The Historical Marker Database, and the Chronicling America Database