Convention Hall
Convention Hall was depicted in a 1908 postcard. | |
Interactive map of Convention Hall | |
| Location | 13th and Central Streets Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 39°05′55″N 94°35′13″W / 39.098727°N 94.58697°W |
| Construction | |
| Opened | February 22, 1899 |
| Closed | 1936 |
| Demolished | 1936 |
| Construction cost | US$225,000 |
| Architect | Frederick E. Hill |
| Tenants | |
| 1900 Democratic National Convention 1928 Republican National Convention Ku Klux Klan | |
Convention Hall was a major indoor arena and convention center located at 13th and Central Streets in Kansas City, Missouri. It operated between 1899 and 1936 as a central hub for civic life in Kansas City and is best known for hosting the 1900 Democratic National Convention and the 1928 Republican National Convention.
A dramatic fire destroyed it on April 4, 1900, just three months before the city was scheduled to host the Democratic National Convention. In an effort that became known as the "Kansas City Spirit", the hall was rebuilt in only 90 days to ensure the convention could proceed as planned.
The multipurpose venue hosted cultural performances by figures such as John Philip Sousa and Sarah Bernhardt, and the controversial Ku Klux Klan rallies in the 1920s. It was a shelter for thousands of refugees from the Great Flood of 1903. The hall was demolished in 1936 to provide parking for the new Municipal Auditorium.