National Theater

The National was originally called the Webster-Granada when Stuart Webster built it at a cost of $105,000, including land, and opened it with a sold out house on March 31, 1922, at 402 Main Street. The Daily Democrat said Contractor Y.L Younger drew up the plans for the building at the southeast corner of Main and Elm. The building was actually converted from a hardware store and in the interests of patron comfort, 800 seats were installed when it could have seated 1,000.
The Organ was a Robert Morton Special Orchestral Organ, which was said to be the biggest in Northern California, outside of Sacramento.
The opening attractions were Buster Keaton in “The Play House” and “The Silent Call,” starring Strongheart, the German shepherd. Webster also continued to operate the other picture house in town, the Strand, so the Granada played a combination of silents and live plays.
On November 9, 1923, an editorial in the Daily Democrat welcomed Frank Vesley and his National Theater Circuit as the new owners of the Granada. Newspaper listings on March 31, 1924, showed a name change to the National, by which time it was showing just films.
The theatre was gutted in an early morning fire on April 25, 1936. The roof collapsed completely and only the fireproof projection room and the theatre records, which were locked in the safe, remained. It was believed that a cigarette left smoldering in a loge seat started the fire. The theatre janitor and a friend who had been drinking in the theatre were jailed and later released on their own recognizance.
The Yolo Theatre opened at this location on December 25, 1936, but not by National Theatres. The new operator was Bill Cornwell, who also operated Bill’s Theatre. National Theatres went on to construct the State Theatre, which opened a block away on Main Street on June 26, 1937.