Historical Properties

445 C Street The first library building in Davis, the original one room structure was built after volunteer fundraising to purchase the lot on F Street. The Bachelor Girls, a social organization, raised the $550 for construction through dances, luncheons, spinning bees and parties. Hattie Weber, the first librarian, remained in charge for 43 years, and the building remained a library until 1968 when the present library on 14th Street opened. The building was enlarged in 1924 and again in 1959. It is a modest yet handsome example of the Colonial Revival. Following its use as a library, the building served as the Davis Teen Center. When it was moved to its present site in 1988, it opened as the Hattie Weber Museum. In addition to its use as a museum, the City owned building also serves as a public meeting room.

616 2nd Street This is a superb example of a late Streamline Moderne movie palace with original neon signage. The building marks the end of the downtown commercial area and the beginning of an early residential neighborhood and is a prominent visual landmark. Built in 1950 by the West Side Valley Theaters, the Varsity Theater has become a Davis cultural institution and continues to provide Davis with entertainment, although now converted for live stage use. The theater was originally built in 1921 at 702 2nd Street by the Luft family in the hope it would earn income as a rental property. However, the managing company folded within a year and the family became directly involved in the entertainment business. Each family member was active in the variety of tasks needed, including playing the organ to accompany silent movies. Although it survived the Depression and increased entertainment competition, it was sold to the West Side Valley Theaters Company which later built the present theater, billed in 1950 as the most modern theater in the Sacramento Valley. It is currently owned by the City of Davis.