The Dayton Memorial Hall is a historic meeting venue on First Street in downtown
Dayton,
Ohio,
United States. Constructed shortly after the turn of the twentieth century, this
Beaux-Arts structure is one of many memorial halls statewide from the same time period, and it has been named a
historic site.
The Memorial Hall is a brick building with a concrete
foundation, a
ceramic tile roof, and elements of stone and
terracotta.
Its central section, meant to hold the activities for which the building was constructed, is a two-
story structure, while other sections vary in scale: a grand
Neoclassical entrance,
[Owen, Lorrie K., ed. ''Dictionary of Ohio Historic Places''. Vol. 2. St. Clair Shores: Somerset, 1999, 1051.] complete with paired columns in the
Ionic order
The Ionic order is one of the three canonic orders of classical architecture, the other two being the Doric and the Corinthian. There are two lesser orders: the Tuscan (a plainer Doric), and the rich variant of Corinthian called the composite or ...
, sits atop a flight of steps in the middle of the facade, while lesser sections flank the entrance and compose the building's sides. Small towers are placed atop the sides, between the central auditorium and the surrounding land. Although the main entrance is only accessed via the flight of steps, side entrance may be gained by the use of a ramp.
[, Ohio Historical Society, 2007. Accessed 2010-02-24.] The building's entrance comprises the memorial itself, housing inscriptions honoring local Civil War soldiers and a sculpture honoring Spanish–American War soldiers; a World War I sculpture sits in the same area.
Legislation enacted by the
General Assembly in 1902 encouraged the construction of memorial buildings in communities statewide; for the first time, municipalities were permitted to float bonds in order to obtain money needed to construct such buildings.
Designed by William Earl Russ, erected in 1907,
and dedicated in 1910,
[Memorial Hall]
Montgomery County Montgomery County may refer to:
Australia
* The former name of Montgomery Land District, Tasmania
United Kingdom
* The historic county of Montgomeryshire, Wales, also called County of Montgomery
United States
* Montgomery County, Alabama
* Mon ...
, n.d. Accessed 2015-02-03. Dayton's was typical of the numerous memorial buildings built soon after the law's passage, both architecturally and functionally. Throughout the century following, it served as a meeting place for community activities ranging from entertainment festivities to educational events to cultural activities.
In 1988, the Memorial Hall was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places, qualifying both because of its significant architecture and its important place in Dayton's history. Similar recognition has been awarded to other memorial halls in the Ohio cities of
Cincinnati,
Greenville, and
Lima, all of which are Neoclassical structures completed soon after the 1902 legislation.
See also
*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Dayton, Ohio
References
External links
Official website
{{Authority control
Buildings and structures completed in 1907
Beaux-Arts architecture in Ohio
Buildings and structures in Dayton, Ohio
Concert halls in Ohio
National Register of Historic Places in Montgomery County, Ohio
Spanish–American War memorials in the United States
Tourist attractions in Dayton, Ohio
Union (American Civil War) monuments and memorials in Ohio