Urana Soldiers' Memorial Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Urana Soldiers' Memorial Hall |
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| Location | Anna Street, Urana, Federation Council, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1884–1924 |
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| Owner | Federation Council |
| Official name: Urana Soldiers' Memorial Hall; Soldiers Hall; Mechanics Institute Hall; School of Arts hall | |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 8 April 2016 |
| Reference no. | 1966 |
| Type | Memorials |
| Category | Monuments and Memorials |
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The Urana Soldiers' Memorial Hall is a special building in Urana, New South Wales, Australia. It's listed as a heritage site, meaning it's important to history. This hall is located on Anna Street and has been known by a few names, like the Soldiers Hall, Mechanics Institute Hall, and School of Arts Hall. It was built in two main stages, first in 1884 and then expanded in 1923-1924. The building is owned by the local government, the Federation Council. It was officially added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 2016 because of its historical and architectural value.
Contents
A Look Back: The Hall's History
Who Lived Here First?
Long before European settlers arrived, the land around Urana was home to the Bangerang people. They were an Aboriginal group who lived along the Murray River. The river was like a highway for them, used for travel and trade. It also provided lots of food, like fish and shellfish. The Bangerang people were known for their bark canoes and their deep connection to the river and the land.
How Urana Grew
European explorers first came to this area in 1824. By the 1830s, settlers started to farm the land. Urana itself began to grow in the mid-1860s. It became an important meeting point for routes used to move animals like cattle and sheep. Towns like Urana helped support the farms and grazing properties in the area. Over time, more people moved to the region, and farming methods changed, with sheep farming becoming very important.
What Was the Mechanics Institute?
The first part of the Urana Soldiers' Memorial Hall was built in 1884. It was called the "Mechanics Institute and School of Arts." These places were popular back then. They were created to help working-class men learn and improve themselves. They offered classes, had libraries, and sometimes even small museums. The idea was to provide education and culture to communities. Many towns across Australia had a School of Arts, and they often became important community hubs.
The people of Urana raised money to build their Mechanics Institute. They even got some help from the government. The building was designed by an architect named George Sheppard.
Remembering World War I
World War I, which happened between 1914 and 1918, had a huge impact on Australia. Many young Australian men volunteered to fight overseas. Sadly, a very large number of them never returned home, and many more were seriously injured.
After the war, communities all over Australia wanted to remember those who had served and those who had died. They built war memorials as a way to show their grief and gratitude. Many of these memorials were community halls, like the one in Urana. Sometimes, existing halls had special plaques added with the names of local soldiers.
The Urana Soldiers' Memorial Hall Is Built
The idea for the Urana Soldiers' Memorial Hall started after World War I. It took several years to raise enough money. The new, larger hall was designed by Sidney James Hunnings, who was the local shire engineer and also a former soldier.
The new hall was built between 1923 and 1924. It was a big project for a small town! The plan was to have a large hall for dancing, a stage, dressing rooms, a kitchen, a library, and even a special room for soldiers. The building was made with a new and unusual method for the time: poured concrete. This was a very modern way to build large structures.
The hall officially opened on May 22, 1925. It was a proud moment for the community. The hall was meant to be a lasting tribute to the local men who fought in World War I. For example, from Urana, 45 men enlisted, and 1 was killed in action.
The hall became a central place for the community. It was used for many events, including welcoming home soldiers after World War II. It even had equipment to show movies, acting as the town's cinema for many years!
Who Designed It?
- George Sheppard (1853-1918): He was the architect who designed the original Mechanics Institute hall in 1884. He moved to Australia from England and worked as a surveyor and architect in the Wagga Wagga area.
- S.J. Hunnings (1882-1961): Sidney James Hunnings was the Urana Shire engineer. He designed the larger part of the hall and its grand front in 1922. He was also an Australian army veteran and was known for his innovative ideas, including using concrete in new ways.
How Is It Special?
The Urana Soldiers' Memorial Hall is quite unique. Many towns built war memorials, but Urana, being a smaller community, built one of the largest and most impressive halls. Its grand concrete front is very noticeable and stands out in the town. The way it combines two halls (the old Mechanics Institute and the new memorial hall) behind one big facade is also very unusual.
The hall also has some old movie projecting equipment, showing its past life as a cinema. This kind of old equipment is rare to find still in place.
What Does the Hall Look Like?
Urana is a town in the Riverina area of southwestern New South Wales. The Urana Soldiers' Memorial Hall is a large building facing Anna Street.
The building is made up of two brick halls, both with corrugated metal roofs. The most striking part is the grand, two-story front (called a facade) made of poured concrete. This concrete construction was very new and innovative when it was built in the 1920s.
The first hall, built in 1884, is a long room with painted brick walls and a wooden floor and ceiling. It has a cool, rounded (barrel-shaped) roof supported by steel beams. The second hall, built in 1923-1924, is even bigger. It has a wooden floor and a stage area.
Between the concrete front and the halls, there are two large rooms upstairs that are not currently used. The space between the two halls has been turned into a kitchen. There are also restrooms added to the side.
Inside the hall, you can find old photographs, special honor boards listing soldiers' names, and even some old movie projection equipment. The building still looks very much like it did when it was first built.
Outside, nearby on Stephen Street, there's a special avenue of mature date palm trees. These were planted in the 1920s using seeds that soldiers brought back from the Middle East, making them another part of the memorial.
Changes Over Time
- 1884: The first hall for the Mechanics Institute was built.
- 1891: A small extra room was added to the back of the original hall.
- 1923-1924: The original hall was joined with a new, second hall, and the grand concrete front was added. The building was then renamed the Urana Soldiers' Memorial Hall.
- 1954: The outside of the building was painted, and the kitchen was updated to be "very modern." There were also plans to add honor rolls for World War II soldiers.
Why Is It a Heritage Site?
The Urana Soldiers' Memorial Hall is important for several reasons:
- History: It shows how much a small community invested to remember the many people from their area who fought in World War I, especially those who didn't come home. It represents the strong tradition of "remembrance" in Australian culture.
- Looks and Design: It's a very impressive and noticeable building in a small town. The older hall has a beautiful design with its unique rounded ceiling. The concrete front was also a very new and clever way to build at the time.
- Rarity: It's rare to see such a large and grand memorial hall in such a small town. Most small towns built simpler halls. The way it combines two halls behind one big front might even be unique in New South Wales.
- Community Use: It's a great example of a high-quality community hall that has brought people together for social and cultural events for many years, including its time as the local cinema.
