Two diamond-shaped windows on the front doors of the California Theater in Dunsmuir are portals to a magical place. The spell spills out into the streets with the lighted marquee pointing to the sky, as clouds are caught like cotton candy in the trees across the canyon. Moving down the street in quick strides, owner Mark Juarez opens the doors with the enthusiasm of Willy Wonka.

Opening in 1926, the building’s outside appearance is deceptive. The building unfolds into the large theater, a ballroom and other rooms that hold more than 800 people inside. In the main theater, a screen is stretched over a deep stage where the hardwood resounded for years with the voices of vaudeville acts before giving way to talking movies. A creek runs underneath the stage, providing a natural air conditioner.