Speaking of the beautiful Pico House, here are some photos I had in my file.
I'll put them in chronological order.....oldest first.
Below: A view of Pico House from Fort Moore Hill in Dec. 1869
You can see the Masonic Building (1858), but the location of the Merced Theatre is still an empty lot.
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Below: A view of Pico House and The Plaza in 1873.
I believe the odd round/octagonal structures in the lower half of the photo are water reservoirs.
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Below: Another view from Fort Moore Hill, this time from 1876.
The Merced Theatre makes an appearance to the immediate right of Pico house.
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Below: Pico House in 1878. Are those streetcar tracks?? I'm kind of surprised at this early date.
I also wonder what the odd curved pipe-like structure is in the foreground on the left?
It looks like a shower for horses. lol
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Below: Pico House in 1879. Notice the two women in the window.
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