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 large building in Kansas City, Kansas. It has 3,500 seats and a permanent stage. People use it for many different events. These include public gatherings, concerts, and sports games. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
Architects Rose & Peterson designed Memorial Hall. They used the Georgian style for its look.
Contents
Building History
Construction of Memorial Hall began in 1923. The building officially opened its doors in 1925.
Exciting Events and Performances
Memorial Hall has hosted many famous events over the years. These include roller derby, music concerts, and various sports.
Roller Derby Action
Memorial Hall is the home of the Kansas City Roller Warriors. This roller derby league has been around for 15 years. They often host teams from other cities and even other countries. The league has over 100 volunteers. These volunteers help make the Kansas City Roller Warriors a successful group.
Memorable Music Concerts
Many famous musicians have performed at Memorial Hall. Country music stars Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas, and Hawkshaw Hawkins gave their last public performance here. This was on March 3, 1963. They sadly passed away in a plane crash two days later.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, many famous rock bands played at the hall. These included Canned Heat, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Janis Joplin. Other big names were Jefferson Airplane, Led Zeppelin, and Iron Butterfly.
The Grateful Dead played eight shows at Memorial Hall between 1969 and 1979. You can find details about these shows online:
- February 5, 1969
- November 12, 1972
- November 13, 1972
- October 28, 1977
- February 9, 1979
- February 10, 1979
- December 10, 1979
- December 11, 1979
Pink Floyd performed their new album, The Dark Side of the Moon, at Memorial Hall. This was on September 11, 1972. The album became very famous five months later. This was also Pink Floyd's first concert in the Kansas City area.
KISS played their first show in the Kansas City metropolitan area here. This was on April 13, 1975. They opened for the Dutch rock band Golden Earring. REO Speedwagon recorded parts of their live album, Live: You Get What You Play For, at the venue. This happened on October 31, 1976.
In October 1981, Def Leppard performed at Memorial Hall. They were on their second tour of the United States. They opened for the band Blackfoot. Side 4 of Peter Gabriel's 1983 album, Plays Live, was recorded here. This recording took place on December 4, 1982.
Thrilling Sporting Events
Memorial Hall has been a venue for various sports.
Basketball Games
The Kansas City Steers basketball team played some of their games here. They were part of the American Basketball League from 1961 to 1963.
Professional Wrestling
In the 1970s, professional wrestling was a popular Thursday-night event. Matches were often filmed for the All-Star Wrestling TV show.
Harley Race, a wrestler from Kansas City, won his first major championship here in 1973. He defeated Dory Funk Jr. to win the National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship. Ric Flair also won his first NWA World Heavyweight Championship at Memorial Hall. This happened in September 1981 when he defeated Dusty Rhodes.
Mixed Martial Arts
Memorial Hall has hosted several mixed martial arts (MMA) events:
- Strikeforce Challengers: Woodley vs. Bears on November 20, 2009.
- Invicta FC 1: Coenen vs. Ruyssen on April 28, 2012.
- Invicta FC 2: Baszler vs. McMann on July 28, 2012.
- Invicta FC 3: Penne vs. Sigiyama on October 6, 2012.
- Invicta FC 4: Esparza vs. Hyatt on January 5, 2013.
Other Community Events
The Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools district holds a special meeting for its staff here every August. All teachers and staff attend this important event.
