New Mission Theater, San Francisco

The New Mission Theater first opened its doors in 1916 and quickly became the pride of the neighborhood. Local mayor James Sunny Jim Rolph spoke at the grand opening, celebrating the building as a symbol of the growing power of the working class in this part of the city. At the time of its debut, it stood as the very first major movie palace constructed in the Mission District, anchoring what locals eventually called the Mission Miracle Mile.