View source for Convention Hall

{{Short description|Former convention center in Kansas City, Missouri}}
{{One source|date=February 2022}}
[[Image:Kc-convention-hall.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Convention Hall in a 1908 postcard]]
'''Convention Hall''' was a [[convention center]] in [[Kansas City, Missouri]] 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]], 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.<ref>The Kansas City Star, "Refugees Leave the Hall", June 12, 1903, p.2</ref>
== 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]] 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 (Kansas City, Missouri)|Municipal Auditorium]].
== Use for traveling shows and Ku Klux Klan rallies ==
The hall hosted various traveling events including a [[Sarah Bernhardt]] performance of [[The Lady of the Camellias|Camille]].  Its most controversial use was hosting a series of [[Ku Klux Klan]] rallies in 1922&ndash;1924.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.umkc.edu/whmckc/COLLECTIONS/IKC0269.HTM UMKC history of hall]
*[https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/education/student-resources/youth/first-democratic-convention Truman Library history of the hall]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060820231128/http://www.menwhomadekansascity.com/conventionhall.html Menwhomadekansascity.com profile]
{{coord|39.098727|N|94.58697|W|format=dms|region:US-MO_scale:10000_type:landmark|display=title}}

{{Democratic National Convention venues}}
{{Republican National Convention venues}}

[[Category:1899 establishments in Missouri]]
[[Category:1936 disestablishments in Missouri]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1899]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Kansas City, Missouri]]
[[Category:Economy of Kansas City, Missouri]]
[[Category:Convention centers in Missouri]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures demolished in 1936]]
[[Category:Demolished buildings and structures in Missouri]]
[[Category:Burned buildings and structures in the United States]]
[[Category:Harry S. Truman]]
[[Category:Ku Klux Klan]]
{{Missouri-struct-stub}}