The Bella Union Theatre, San Francisco 1856

The Bella Union served for almost 60 years from 1849 to the great fire of 1906, to provide a venue for some of the finest variety, minstrel and burlesque shows in the country, and was built on the site of the old Colonnade Hotel. It was originally used as a gambling saloon as well as for entertainment, in 1856 becoming a melodeon , but from 1893 was a waxworks and penny arcade. It was on the North side of Washington Street, near Kearny. Also in this photo are the Verandah and the El Dorado with Portsmouth Plaza in the foreground and Telegraph Hill in the background.

 

www.archive.org/stream/sanfranciscothea194015sanf#page/n6...

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