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 historic building in Davenport, Iowa, United States. It's a very important place for music and events. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and also on the Davenport Register of Historic Properties. Its first name was the Saengerfest Halle.
Contents
A Look Back: The Col Ballroom's History
The First Saengerfest Halle
Davenport has a strong music history, thanks to many German immigrants who moved there in the 1840s. These new residents started many music groups before the year 1900. Some of these groups included the Liedertafel, Maennerchor, and Germania Band.
In 1858, Davenport hosted a big event called the Saengerfest, or "singer's festival." People from all over the Mississippi River Valley came to this festival.
A Huge Music Festival
The biggest music event in Davenport's history happened in 1898. It was the 18th annual Saengerfest. Ten local German singing groups, called the United Singers of Davenport, worked together to host it.
This festival brought together 1,200 singers from many different cities. These cities included Davenport, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Elgin, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri. The event attracted German-Americans from all over the Midwest. About 100,000 people attended the four-day festival! It ended with a large outdoor concert at Schuetzen Park. About 12,000 people watched this final show.
To prepare for the festival, a large auditorium was built. It could hold 4,000 people. This wooden building cost $4,500 to build. After the festival, it was used as a warehouse. In 1906, new owners added a second floor. They renamed the building The Coliseum and used it as a dance hall. Sadly, this first Coliseum was destroyed by fire on October 21, 1913.
The Coliseum We Know Today
In November 1914, a brand new Coliseum opened. It was built by owner Leo Kerker. This new building is located across West Fourth Street from where the first Saengerfesthalle stood.
Local architects Clausen & Burrows designed the building. A local company, Oelrich & Company, built it. The building has a strong steel frame covered with bricks. It has a rounded roof. You can see the word "Coliseum" spelled out in individual tiles across the top of the front. The building also has two-story sections at the corners. A sign shaped like a heart, saying "The Col Ballroom," hangs over the main entrance.
In the early 1990s, the building was updated inside and out. Don Wachel took over ownership. Then, in 1995, the Quad Cities Mexican American Organization became the owner. The building has been a popular place for dances and concerts ever since. Lee Neece became the owner in 2014, and Leigh Macias Reitz in 2015.
Famous Performers
The Col Ballroom has hosted many famous artists over the years. The back wall of the building even has their autographs! Some of the amazing musicians who played there include:
- Duke Ellington
- B.B. King
- The Everly Brothers
- The Beach Boys
- Little Richard
- Chuck Berry
- Johnny Cash
- Muddy Waters
- Jimi Hendrix
- Slipknot
- Danzig
- 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 was planned to close as a ballroom and performance venue on October 29, 2018.
