Memorial Hall (Kansas City, Kansas) facts for kids
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| Full name | Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building |
|---|---|
| Location | 600 North 7th Street Kansas City, Kansas 66101 United States |
| Coordinates | 39°06′44″N 94°37′39″W / 39.112352°N 94.62761°W |
| Capacity | 3,500 |
| Acreage | 2.2 acres (0.89 ha) |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1923 |
| Opened | 1925 |
| Architect | David Burton Peterson, Rose & Peterson Architects |
| Project manager | David Burton Peterson |
| Tenants | |
| Kansas City Steers (ABL) (1961-1963) | |
Memorial Hall, also known as the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building, is a cool place in Kansas City, Kansas. It's a big auditorium with 3,500 seats and a stage. People use it for concerts, sports, and other fun events. This historic building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. It was designed by architects Rose & Peterson in a classic Georgian style.
Contents
Building History and Purpose
This special building was constructed in 1923 and opened its doors in 1925. It was built to be both a community hall and a memorial for the brave soldiers who served in World War I.
Exciting Events and Concerts
Many famous rock bands from the 1960s and 1970s played at Memorial Hall. On September 11, 1972, Pink Floyd performed their first Kansas City concert here. They even played songs from their new album, The Dark Side of the Moon, before it was officially released!
REO Speedwagon recorded parts of their live album, Live: You Get What You Play For, at the hall on October 31, 1976. Peter Gabriel also recorded songs like "Shock the Monkey" for his 1983 album, Plays Live, at Memorial Hall on December 4, 1982.
Roller Derby Fun
Memorial Hall is home to the Kansas City Roller Warriors, a roller derby league that has been around for over 20 years. These teams often host other roller derby teams from all over the country and the world. The league has more than 100 volunteers who love roller derby and make the organization successful.
The Kansas City Steers, a professional basketball team, also played some of their games here from 1961 to 1963.
Thrilling Professional Wrestling
The first recorded professional wrestling event at Memorial Hall happened on February 23, 1931. Charlie Fischer won against Billy Wolfe in a match that lasted 39 minutes.
From the 1930s to the mid-1940s, professional wrestling shows happened twice a week, all year long! Later, from 1946 to 1987, wrestling events were held once a week.
In the 1970s and 80s, Thursday nights at Memorial Hall were famous for professional wrestling. These events were put on by Central States Wrestling and often taped for the All-Star Wrestling TV show.
After Bob Geigel closed his wrestling company, World Championship Wrestling held five events at Memorial Hall between 1990 and 1997.
On April 23, 2009, a movie called "K.C. On The Mat: The History of Professional Wrestling in Kansas City" premiered at Memorial Hall. This movie showed how important Memorial Hall was to wrestling history. Famous wrestlers like Harley Race and Butch Reed attended the premiere.
Other Community Gatherings
Every August, the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools district holds a big meeting for all its staff at Memorial Hall. It's a time for everyone in the school district to come together.
Memorable Performances and Matches
Memorial Hall has hosted many unforgettable events over the years:
- Nirvana played with Mudhoney and Jawbreaker on October 21, 1993.
- On February 2, 1989, the World Wrestling Alliance and All Japan Pro Wrestling teamed up for "The International Bash." This event featured a special match between the Rock 'n' Roll Express and The British Bulldogs. They wrestled to a 30-minute draw, with former NWA World Champion Pat O'Connor as the special referee.
- Mötley Crüe performed on May 17, 1984, as part of their Shout at the Devil tour.
- Ric Flair defeated Dusty Rhodes to win the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship for the first time on September 17, 1981.
- The Grateful Dead played at Memorial Hall seven times between 1972 and 1979.
- Blue Öyster Cult and New York Dolls played on September 20, 1974.
- Janis Joplin performed two shows on June 14, 1970.
- Led Zeppelin played two shows on November 5, 1969. Tickets cost between $3.50 and $5.50.
- Michael Hayes (wrestler) defeated Buddy Roberts in a Steel cage match on July 16, 1988.
- Patsy Cline, George Jones, and other artists played three sold-out shows on March 3, 1963. This was Patsy Cline’s last performance, as she passed away in an airplane crash two days later.
See also
- 1925 in architecture
