The Col Ballroom facts for kids
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Saengerfest Halle
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The Col Ballroom in 2012
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1012 W. 4th St. Davenport, Iowa |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1914 |
| Built by | Oelrich & Company |
| Architect | Clausen & Burrows |
| MPS | Davenport MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 83002494 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 7, 1983 |
The Col Ballroom is a famous old building in Davenport, Iowa. It's known for its long history as a place for music and dancing. This building is so important that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Davenport Register of Historic Properties. When it was first listed, it was called the Saengerfest Halle.
History of The Col Ballroom
The First Saengerfest Halle
Davenport has always had a strong love for music. This is partly because many German immigrants moved to the city in the late 1840s. They started many music groups before the year 1900. Some of these groups included the Liedertafel, Maennerchor, and the Germania Band.
In 1858, Davenport hosted its third "Saengerfest," which means "singer's festival." People came from all over the Mississippi River Valley to attend this big music event.
The biggest music event in Davenport's history happened in 1898. The city hosted the 18th annual Saengerfest. Ten local German singing groups, called the United Singers of Davenport, worked together to organize it. About 1,200 singers came from many different cities, including Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Elgin, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri.
This festival brought German-Americans from all over the Midwest. About 100,000 people attended the four-day event! The festival ended with a huge outdoor concert at Schuetzen Park. About 12,000 people watched this final show.
To get ready for the 1898 festival, a special building was constructed. It was a wooden hall that could hold 4,000 people. After the festival, this hall was used as a warehouse. Later, in 1906, new owners added a second floor. They turned it into a dance hall called The Coliseum. Sadly, this first building was destroyed by a fire on October 21, 1913.
The New Coliseum Building
A new building, also called The Coliseum, opened in November 1914. It was built by owner Leo Kerker. This new building is located across the street from where the first Saengerfest Halle stood. Local architects Clausen & Burrows designed it. Oelrich & Company, a local builder, constructed it.
The building has a strong steel frame covered with bricks. It has a rounded roof. You can see individual tiles across the top of the front that spell out "Coliseum." The building also has tall brick columns on its sides. A sign that says "The Col Ballroom" hangs over the main entrance. The words on the sign are shaped like a heart.
In the early 1990s, The Col Ballroom was updated inside and out. Over the years, different people and groups have owned it. Don Wachel took over ownership, then the Quad Cities Mexican American Organization in 1995. Lee Neece became the owner in 2014, and Leigh Macias Reitz in 2015. The building has continued to be a popular place for dancing and concerts.
A special part of the building is a back wall where many performers have signed their names. Famous artists who played at The Col include:
- Duke Ellington
- B.B. King
- The Everly Brothers
- The Beach Boys
- Little Richard
- Chuck Berry
- Johnny Cash
- Jimi Hendrix
- Stevie Ray Vaughan
The Col Ballroom was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. It was also added to the Davenport Register of Historic Properties in 1998. In 1999, it was honored by being inducted into the Iowa Rock and Roll Music Association hall of fame. The venue stopped operating as a ballroom and concert hall on October 29, 2018.
