More on Oroville an Eddie Foy

In an earlier blog I wrote how Eddie Foy before there were seven little Foys to preform with had visited the town I lived in over 100 years ago. In fact, it was 1882 and he mentions how he did a one night stand at the Opera House there. The show he brought in was his first an last attempt to produce a road show. He didn't have the experience to run the business end of it and, though the show was good, it didn't bring in enough crowds to support it so it died.

Well, curious me wanted to know where that Opera House was and did it still exist today. So I went on a search and found the Atkins Theater and stables... remember it was still very much a "western" town then. (There was an Odd Fellows convention and the arc and parade flaot was theirs. )

Now, there were many small honky tonks and show rooms in bars and such but as of my research to date this would've been the only thing that can be called an Opera House back then. Today the building is long gone and there is a parking lot where this joint once stood. I am told by old timers that this place stood until the 50s and served as a movie house and then a plumber supply store and now a place to park your car.