Convention Hall was a

convention center A convention center (American and British English spelling differences, American English; or conference centre in British English) is a large building that is designed to hold a Convention (meeting), convention, where individuals and groups ...

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri, abbreviated KC or KCMO, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri by List of cities in Missouri, population and area. The city lies within Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson, Clay County, Missouri, Clay, and Pl ...

that hosted the 1900 Democratic National Convention and 1928 Republican National Convention.

Construction, burning, and reconstruction

It was designed by Frederick E. Hill and built at the corner of 13th and Central and cost $225,000 and opened on February 22, 1899, with a performance by the John Philip Sousa band. It was destroyed in a fire on April 4, 1900, the same year that Kansas City was scheduled to host the Democratic National Convention over July 4. Hill redesigned a new hall that would be fireproof and it was built in 90 days in an effort that was called "Kansas City Spirit." A local 16-year-old Democrat,

Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. As the 34th vice president in 1945, he assumed the presidency upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt that year. Subsequen ...

, served as a page at the convention.

Housing refugees

During the flood of 1903, the hall housed several thousand refugees. The final 110 refugees were sent to tent camps at 31st and Summit. The hall had to be fumigated after their departure on June 12, 1903.The Kansas City Star, "Refugees Leave the Hall", June 12, 1903, p.2

Plans to add the world's largest pipe organ

The world's largest pipe organ, which became the nucleus of Philadelphia's Wanamaker Organ was originally planned for the north end of the hall after it was exhibited as the centerpiece of Festival Hall at the

Louisiana Purchase Exposition The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the St. Louis World's Fair, was an World's fair, international exposition held in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States, from April 30 to December 1, 1904. Local, state, and federa ...

of 1904. The Kansas City hall operators backed out of the contract before installation when it was discovered the document had never legally been ratified.

Demolition

The hall hosted the 1928 Republican Convention and was torn down in 1936 when it became a parking lot for the new Municipal Auditorium.

Use for traveling shows and Ku Klux Klan rallies

The hall hosted various traveling events including a

Sarah Bernhardt Sarah Bernhardt (; born Henriette-Rosine Bernard; 22 October 1844 – 26 March 1923) was a French stage actress who starred in some of the most popular French plays of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including by Alexandre Dumas fils, ...

performance of Camille. Its most controversial use was hosting a series of

Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to KKK or Klan, is an American Protestant-led Christian terrorism, Christian extremist, white supremacist, Right-wing terrorism, far-right hate group. It was founded in 1865 during Reconstruction era, ...

rallies in 1922–1924.

References

External links

UMKC history of hallTruman Library history of the hall
1899 establishments in Missouri 1936 disestablishments in Missouri Buildings and structures completed in 1899 Buildings and structures in Kansas City, Missouri Economy of Kansas City, Missouri Convention centers in Missouri Buildings and structures demolished in 1936 Demolished buildings and structures in Missouri Burned buildings and structures in the United States Harry S. Truman Ku Klux Klan {{Missouri-struct-stub