Waverly Village Hall (Waverly, Minnesota) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Waverly Village Hall
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Waverly Village Hall viewed from the northeast
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 204 4th Street, Waverly, Minnesota |
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| Area | Less than one acre |
| Built | 1939–40 |
| Built by | Works Progress Administration |
| Architect | Walter R. Dennis |
| Architectural style | Moderne |
| NRHP reference No. | 02000613 |
| Added to NRHP | June 6, 2002 |
Waverly Village Hall is a special building in Waverly, Minnesota. It was built a long time ago, between 1939 and 1940. A government program called the Works Progress Administration (WPA) helped build it. This program gave jobs to people during a tough time called the Great Depression.
The hall is important because of its cool design, its role in fun community events, and how it helped the local government. It's a great example of buildings made with help from the New Deal programs. These programs helped communities build new things and create jobs.
Contents
What Does Waverly Village Hall Look Like?
Waverly Village Hall is a rectangular building. It has a part that sticks out at the front, which is the main entrance. The building is made of strong concrete. The outside of the concrete was scored to make it look like rectangular panels.
A wide set of stairs leads up to three doors at the main entrance. These doors used to be double doors with cool, old-fashioned lights next to them. Now they have single doors and newer lights. Above each doorway, there's a textured panel with a small window. Above that, you can see a metal sign that says "Village Hall."
The corners of the building and the entrance are rounded. They also have decorative fins on top. The sides of the main building have three tall windows. These windows have the same cool texture as the front of the building.
Inside the Hall
When you go inside, you enter a foyer. This is like a small lobby. There's a ticket booth there. From the foyer, you can go into the main auditorium. The auditorium floor is made of maple wood. It's a big space, about 77 feet long and 57 feet wide.
At the far end of the auditorium, there's a stage. It's about 43 feet wide and 17 feet deep. Small hallways lead to restrooms, dressing rooms, and back exits. Downstairs, there's a large dining hall, a kitchen, coat rooms, a locker room, and other useful areas.
Why Was the Hall Built?
The original village hall in Waverly was built in 1893. It held the town's offices, fire department, jail, and a ballroom. But in 1938, a fire badly damaged it.
At that time, the country was in the middle of the Great Depression. This was a time when many people didn't have jobs, and money was scarce. The village of Waverly didn't have enough money to build a new hall on its own.
However, the government had special programs to help. These programs helped local towns build things. They also created jobs for people who were unemployed.
How the Hall Was Approved and Built
Waverly officials asked the Works Progress Administration (WPA) for help in January 1939. They sent in early plans made by an architect named Walter R. Dennis. The village also found a good spot for the new building.
The national WPA office approved their request in March. The plan included building the new hall. It also covered cleaning up the old hall's site. Plus, it helped remodel another building to be the new fire station.
Construction of the new hall started later in 1939. It was finished in August 1940. The building had a big opening celebration during Labor Day weekend. The festival had band music, baseball games, carnival rides, tours of the new hall, and a dance in the auditorium!
What Was the Hall Used For?
Waverly Village Hall was built to be a place for events. The town's government offices were in other buildings. This new hall quickly became a very popular spot for social life. People from Waverly and nearby towns came here.
It hosted many different events, like:
- Wedding parties
- Dances
- School plays
- Big dinners (banquets)
- Concerts
Even famous people gave speeches there, like Hubert Humphrey, who lived in Waverly. Churches and groups like the Knights of Columbus also used the hall. It even hosted sports events, such as basketball games and roller skating!
Today, the city of Waverly still uses the hall. It's still a popular place for all sorts of events.
