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Date:
Nov 17, 2026
Time:
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
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Featured Image Courtesy Jen Mermilliod
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Preservation in Print – Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley Movie Theatres Event

Join the California Preservation Foundation for Preservation in Print, a free lunchtime series for anyone interested in historic preservation, architecture, planning, history, and related fields. This one-hour session features a conversation with the author or a key contributor of a recent preservation-related title. There’s no need to read the book in advance—whether you’ve read every page, browsed the photos, or are simply curious, you’re invited to join. The program includes a brief presentation by the guest speaker, followed by a Q&A with questions from CPF’s Education Committee lead and audience members.

Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley Movie Theatres
by Kelli Shapiro, PhD

Arcadia Publishing "images of America" Series, 2024. Book cover art courtesy publisher.

Book cover titled Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley Movie Theatres, featuring a vintage photograph of a crowd standing outside the United Artists theatre.

Arcadia Publishing

Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley Movie Theatres, an Arcadia Publishing "Images of America" series book by Kelli Shapiro takes us through a visual journey throughout the 20th century, when the San Gabriel Valley and Inland Empire developed a vibrant moviegoing culture shaped by population growth, citrus agriculture, Route 66 tourism, and nearby mountain and desert resorts. Theaters ranged from early nickelodeons and grand movie palaces to drive-ins, with some still operating today. Their proximity to Hollywood also made local venues important sites for test screenings of major films. The region’s cinema history offers insight into the broader cultural and demographic changes that shaped Southern California and the nation.

Be sure to pick up a copy! Purchase Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley Movie Theatres from Arcadia Publishing at https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/products/inland-empire-and-san-gabriel-valley-movie-theatres-9781467107242.

About the Author

A woman in a red sweater sits at a table with copies of her book, Historic Movie Theatres of West Virginia, and a sign announcing her author event.

Courtesy Author

Kelli Shapiro, PhD, is a public historian and historic preservationist. She has written successful state landmark nominations, entries for several encyclopedias, academic journal articles, and two local history books for Arcadia Publishing’s “Images of America" series. Her most recent work is the 2024 book, Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley Movie Theatres.

Kelli holds a BA in American Studies from Pomona College, a Graduate Certificate in Public History from Texas State University, and an MA in Museum Studies and a PhD in American Civilization - both from Brown University. Over the years, she has been a volunteer, intern, student employee, and/or staff member at multiple public history and preservation organizations/institutions in several states. She currently serves as a board member for the California Historic Route 66 Association and a committee member for the California Preservation Foundation.

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