The Hamilton County Memorial Building, more commonly called Memorial Hall, is located at Elm & Grant Streets, in

Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line w ...

. The building is next to Cincinnati's

Music Hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as variety. Perceptions of a distinction in Br ...

and across from Washington Park in the

Over-the-Rhine Over-the-Rhine (often abbreviated as OTR) is a neighborhood in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. Historically, Over-the-Rhine has been a working-class neighborhood. It is among the largest, most intact urban historic districts in the United State ...

neighborhood. It was built by the

Grand Army of the Republic The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army (United States Army), Union Navy ( U.S. Navy), and the Marines who served in the American Civil War. It was founded in 1866 in Decatur, ...

and Hamilton County in 1908, as a memorial to the military of the city and county. The building was built in the Beaux-Arts style. The building, including the Annie W and Elizabeth M Anderson Theater, is used for 300+ events per year. Constructed according to a design by Samuel Hannaford and Sons, the Memorial Building was intended to commemorate members of all branches of the U.S. armed services, as well as the pioneers who had established the United States.Owen, Lorrie K., ed. ''Dictionary of Ohio Historic Places''. Vol. 1.

St. Clair Shores St. Clair Shores is a suburban city bordering Lake St. Clair in Macomb County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It forms a part of the Metro Detroit area, and is located about northeast of downtown Detroit. Its population was 59,715 at the 2010 ...

: Somerset, 1999, 609. The hall contains a 556-seat theater that was designed for speaking, but is also used as a venue for concerts, film screenings and theatrical events.MetroMix
Memorial Hall Cincinnati
Accessed on 2009-08-18. The theater's small size produces a sense of intimacy among the audience, and its

acoustics Acoustics is a branch of physics that deals with the study of mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids including topics such as vibration, sound, ultrasound and infrasound. A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acousticia ...

are exceptional: words spoken on stage in a normal voice can easily be understood even at the back of the balcony. In late 1978, the Memorial Building was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

, qualifying for inclusion both because of its architecture and because of its place in the area's history. Its location on Washington Park places it in the

historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from cer ...

that embraces most of Over-the-Rhine, which was added to the Register five years after the Memorial Building was individually added. An $11 million renovation to the building was completed in December 2016 and allowed for the preservation of its historic character. Additionally, extensive improvements have been made to increase audience and performer comfort, modernize amenities, and enhance performances. The renovations include new, larger restroom facilities, a new HVAC system to accommodate year-round events, new and more comfortable seating, the addition of a contemporary catering kitchen and backstage crossover space for performers. Lastly, the acquisition of new equipment, audio/visual components, and technology to ensure the best possible event experience.

References

External links

Memorial Hall OTRConcert Listings
{{Authority control Buildings and structures completed in 1908 National Register of Historic Places in Cincinnati Samuel Hannaford buildings Buildings and structures in Cincinnati 1908 establishments in Ohio Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in Ohio Over-the-Rhine