Pictured: The Majestic Theatre opened on February 23, 1920 in Benicia. The building had beautiful marble facings; mirrored doors; an artistic box office; one of the best screens available; rich draperies in gold, mulberry and blue; 600 leather-covered seats; and a $14,000 pipe organ. Mayor W. L. Crooks and his son W. B Crooks were responsible for having the theatre built by architect James W. Plachek and builder Henry W. Macullough.
The theatre had a fire in the 1940s. It was remodeled and renamed the State Theatre on June 11, 1942. Over the years it served as a cinema, children’s playhouse, and church. It was deeded to the nonprofit Majestic Theatre Corp. in the early 1990s and is currently owned by Robert Reichert.
Grace Lavinia (Logan) Patterson (1909-1990), a native of Esparto, Yolo County, was hired as Vallejo’s first African-American school teacher. She taught for 25 years. An elementary school was named in her honor in 1989. Photo courtesy of Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.