Ione Pavilion

Ione Pavilion. . , Long before the structure pictured above was built, Ione's most notable civic building was leveled by fire on June 10, 1923. The original building was constructed in 1893 by the 26th Agricultural District Fair Association and was known as the Ione Pavilion. After the fire, rebuilding it was deemed a "community necessity,” as the Pavilion was home to the Ione Women's Club and was regularly the setting for political gatherings and social affairs., The auditorium pictured here was completed in 1925 at a cost of $7,500. The space included a full kitchen, clubroom, and basketball court. If the weather turned foul during annual Ione Homecoming celebrations, displays and exhibits were staged inside. The building also hosted theatre productions and monthly dances. Revenue collected from events was used to repay the reconstruction loan., On January 5, 1963, an unattended wood stove caused the structure, referred to by then as the Ione Auditorium, to burn down once more, taking with it the town's rollerskating rink and even the Ione City Hall. The local fire chief, who was celebrating elsewhere that evening, fought the blaze in his tuxedo. The land remained a dirt lot until a public parking area was constructed in February of 2010.