Built in 1938, the Hamilton Theater is a charming, 320-seat, Spanish-styled theater that served the armed forces that were stationed at Hamilton Field. The Theatre building has cast-in-place Churrigueresque concrete medallion serving as an attic vent - and is a very unique design effect to this structure, and other buildings in the Hamilton Field area. Churrigueresque refers to a Spanish Baroque style of elaborate sculptural architectural ornament which emerged as a manner of stucco decoration in Spain in the late 17th century and was used up to about 1750, marked by extreme, expressive and florid decorative detailing, normally found above the entrance on the main facade of a building.

 

The Hamilton Theater is an original structure, erected at the beginning of Hamilton Field’s pre-World War II development. The Theater was in operation as late as 1994 and has a newer cinema screen. The building itself has become the symbol of the new Hamilton Field community, part of Novato, California, about 25 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge.

 

As for the NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer's) Club and mess hall was the scene of much of the social activity on base for a great number of its residents. The dining hall facilities, card rooms, dance floor, and band stand were on the first floor, while the club operations, including offices, were housed upstairs.It was torn down due to the hazardous condition of the building in general. Only its foundation has survived. 

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All of these buildings are preserved under the California Preservation code and registered with the Library of Congress as historic sites. See more on the Library of Congress registry links of these important buildings: 

Hamilton Theater, Hamilton NCO Club, Group Headquarters Building, and Hamilton Amphitheater. Review all of our historic sites in Hamilton Field on the Library of Congress.

 

Also visit the State Historical Building Code (SHBC) pages on the obligation of our City and State to preserve these historical treasures.

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BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS ON CITY & FEDERAL COMMITMENTS:

- 1993 Hamilton Master Plan >

- 1994 Hamilton Field Design Guidelines >

- Hamilton Army Airfield Reuse Plan > (Sections: 3-5-6, 6-1-6, & 7-2-2)

3.5.6: PLANNING AREA: 3 TOWN CENTER

Neighborhood Commercial (NC): The NC designation in this Planning Area is intended to accommodate resident-serving uses and specialty uses which would serve the local residential population and CFCU uses. The intent is to provide specialized uses such as book stores, art galleries, specialty boutiques, small cafes, small specialty food stores, artists workspaces, a second-run theater, and personal services such as barber shops and beauty shops. Approximately 4.4 acres of NC is provided on the Land Use Plan."

6.1.6 PLANNING AREA 6: TOWN CENTER

Existing recreational facilities in this Planning Area consist of the theater, a 6,027 square foot building (Building 507) constructed in 1938.

The Reuse Plan for this Planning Area proposes the following recreational components:

• Designation of approximately 1.5 acres of Parkland, intended for use as a central plaza area, an urban design component of the Reuse Plan.

7.2.2 HISTORIC RESOURCES

Both the Army and the Navy are required to comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA). The intent of the Act is to require federal agencies to “take into account the effect of the undertaking on any district, site, building, structure, or object that is included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register.” 

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The PROMISE

The City of Novato and the original Developer in the home purchase agreements in 1994, over 30 years ago, promised the following: Inside Hamilton Brochure Document, page 6>

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WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN?

It means that the City of Novato needs to keep the promise.