Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium
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| Location | McCallie Ave. Chattanooga, Tennessee |
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| Architect | Reuben H. Hunt |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| MPS | Reuben H. Hunt Buildings in Hamilton County TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 80003823 |
| Added to NRHP | September 15, 1980 |
The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium is a special building in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It's a place where people gather for concerts, shows, and important events. This historic hall was built a long time ago to honor brave soldiers and sailors from World War I. It has been a key part of Chattanooga's history for over 85 years.
Contents
Discover the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium
Building a Special Place
The auditorium was built between 1922 and 1924. It cost about $700,000 to build, which was a lot of money back then! The famous architect R. H. Hunt designed it. He also designed another beautiful building in Chattanooga, the Tivoli Theatre.
The building is located at 399 McCallie Avenue. It's about halfway between downtown Chattanooga and the UT Chattanooga campus. The auditorium takes up half of a city block.
A Look Inside
The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium has two main theaters. The larger theater downstairs can hold 3,866 people. The smaller theater upstairs can seat 1,012 people.
There is also a space in the basement. This area is used for trade shows and conventions. It measures about 9,600 square feet (892 square meters).
History and Renovations
By the early 1960s, the Memorial Auditorium needed some repairs. It closed in 1965 for a short time. After some updates, it reopened the next year.
The building closed again in 1988 for a much bigger project. This time, the repairs and updates cost over $7 million! The auditorium reopened in 1991, looking much better and more modern.
Music and Events
For over 85 years, this venue has hosted many different kinds of events. People have come for religious festivals and political meetings. There have been fancy parties, operas, musicals, and concerts.
In 1975, the famous rock band Kiss played their first big show here. It was on September 10, for their album Alive!. The auditorium continues to be an important place for culture in the city.
The Historic Pipe Organ
The auditorium has a very old and special pipe organ. It was built when the building was first constructed. In July 2007, this historic concert pipe organ was celebrated again. The Chattanooga Music Club worked for 21 years to restore it! People are still working to make sure this amazing instrument is used and kept safe for the future.
Future Plans
In February 2012, work began on the smaller theater upstairs. It had been closed for over a year. The main reason was that it was hard for people with disabilities to access it.
The plans included replacing all the seats with pews. A new snack stand was added. The bathrooms were updated, and an elevator was installed. This elevator makes it much easier for everyone to reach the theater. The work was finished sometime in 2013. Architect Bob Franklin led the design for these improvements.
