The Coliseum | |
Location | Evansville, Indiana |
---|---|
Public transit | METS |
Owner | Vanderburgh County |
Operator | Vanderburgh County Veterans Council |
Capacity | 2,400 (seated) 4,055 (with standing room) |
Construction | |
Opened | 1916 |
Construction cost | $180,000 (1916) |
Tenants | |
Dynamite Dolls (WFTDA) (2007- Present), Destruction Dames (WFTDA) (2008- Present) |
Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Coliseum | |
Location | 350 Court St., Evansville, Indiana |
---|---|
Coordinates | 37°58′27″N87°34′24″W / 37.97417°N 87.57333°W |
Area | less than one acre |
Built | 1916 |
Architect | Shopbell, Clifford & Co. |
NRHP reference No. | 79000052 [1] |
Added to NRHP | May 10, 1979 |
The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Coliseum (a.k.a. Veterans Memorial Coliseum, The Coliseum, Evansville Coliseum) is a multi-purpose auditorium and meeting space in downtown Evansville, Indiana.
The Coliseum was erected as a tribute to the men of Vanderburgh County who fought in the American Civil War and Spanish–American War. After several old buildings were torn down, the cornerstone of the 66,000-square-foot facility was laid May 9, 1916. Construction concluded in March 1917 and the Coliseum was formally dedicated April 18, 1917, right around the time the United States was joining World War I. The original construction cost $180,000. [2]
The neoclassical coliseum was designed by Shopbell & Company and provided the community with its first modern facility for conventions and other public gatherings. The ceremonial aspect of the building was heightened by placing the structure directly on an axis with Fourth Street. Rockport native George H. Honig created two heroic monuments that flank the entrance. The Spirit of 1865, on the left, represents victory for the Union. The Spirit of 1916, on the right, shows the reflective elderly veterans of the Civil War. [3]
Once considered the premier location for events in Evansville, the Coliseum was seen as dated and small when Roberts Municipal Stadium was built in the mid-1950s. When a push for "urban renewal" involving demolitions occurred in the city, the Coliseum was threatened. A "Save the Coliseum" campaign was developed and the same organization that helped save the Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse stepped in and saved the Coliseum from demolition.
In 1919, a 4,000 pipe concert organ was installed as a memorial to Prof. Milton Z. Tinker, for years supervisor of music in the local public schools. At the time of its installation it was among the largest municipal pipe organs in the world. In 2013, the University of Evansville purchased the pipe organ, dismantled it, and put it into storage. The university hopes to restore it to full operating condition sometime in the future. [4]
When the Old National Events Plaza was later constructed, the Colisum's use as an auditorium and convention space waned. In 1971 Vanderburgh County leased the building to the Vanderburgh County Veterans Council for a period of 99 years at the rate of $1 a year.
The Coliseum's Convention Hall still retains a seating capacity of 2,400 and a standing room capacity of 4,055. The Veterans Council leases out the venue for sporting events, exhibitions, stage plays, wedding receptions, musical productions, bingo, concerts, and philanthropic organizations. The Coliseum is also home to the Demolition City Roller Derby's two teams: the Dynamite Dolls and Destruction Dames. The Coliseum is also home to various professional wrestling promotions, such as the Continental Wrestling Association and the United States Wrestling Association.
In July 2022, it was announced that the Evansville Civic Theater (formerly The Old Columbia Theater) would be moving to the Coliseum after its slated renovations were completed. [5] [6]
Evansville is a city in and the county seat of Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States. With a population of 118,414 at the 2020 census, it is Indiana's third-most populous city after Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, the most populous city in Southern Indiana, and the 249th-most populous city in the United States. It is the central city of the Evansville metropolitan area, a hub of commercial, medical, and cultural activity of southwestern Indiana and the Illinois–Indiana–Kentucky tri-state area, which is home to over 911,000 people. The 38th parallel north crosses the north side of the city and is marked on Interstate 69 immediately north of its junction with Indiana 62 within the city's east side.
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue, or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in a war.
Monuments memorializing both soldiers and sailors may refer to :
The Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse, often simply called the "Old Courthouse," was once the center of Vanderburgh County, Indiana government. Construction started in the spring of 1888 and was completed in November 1890. The building was ready to be occupied by the county government in early 1891. It sits in the heart of downtown Evansville.
SMG, formerly Spectacor Management Group, was an American worldwide venue management group headquartered in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, that specialized in managing publicly owned facilities. It began their operation in 1977 with management of the Louisiana Superdome. It was one of the largest property management corporations in the world.
Veterans Memorial Hall and Museum one of the oldest museums in Winnebago County, is located one block west of the Rock River in downtown Rockford. Construction on the Hall began in 1901 and was finished in 1902, but dedication was delayed. On June 3, 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt. visited Rockford for the opening and dedication of what was then known as Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall. Although initially conceived to honor Winnebago County veterans of the Mexican War, Civil War, and Spanish-American War, supporters of the hall adapted it to honor Winnebago County veterans of all decades. The building is administered by the Winnebago County Board.
Daniel Engler is an American professional wrestling referee, who is signed to WWE on the Raw brand. He is also known for his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) under the ring name Rudy Charles, where he was the promotion's senior referee.
The Victory Theatre is a 1,950-seat venue in Evansville, Indiana. It is home to the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra and also hosts local ballet and modern dance companies, theatre companies, and touring productions.
The Dalles Civic Auditorium is a historic building on the National Register of Historic Places located at the corner of Fourth and Federal streets in The Dalles, Oregon. It is currently owned by the Civic Auditorium Historic Preservation Committee, a non-profit corporation formed specifically for the purpose of purchasing it from the City of The Dalles to save it from scheduled demolition, restore it, and operate it as a local and regional cultural center.
The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium is a historic performance hall in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Built between 1922 and 1924 by John Parks at a cost of $700,000 and designed by noted architect R. H. Hunt, who also designed Chattanooga's lavish Tivoli Theatre, the theater honors area veterans of World War I.
The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum is a National Register of Historic Places landmark that is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the largest memorial in the United States that is dedicated solely to honoring all branches of military veterans and service personnel.
Center Township is one of eight townships in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 39,007 and it contained 16,306 housing units.
Downtown Evansville is the central business district of Evansville, Indiana. The boundaries of downtown Evansville have changed as the city has grown, but they are generally considered to be between Canal Street at the south and east, the Lloyd Expressway to the north, Pigeon Creek to the northwest, and the Ohio River to the southeast south and southwest. Downtown Evansville is entirely within Pigeon Township.
Worcester Memorial Auditorium is a multi-purpose arena located at Lincoln Square in Worcester, Massachusetts. It was built in 1933 to honor the sacrifices of Worcester citizens during times of war. The building includes a multi-purpose auditorium originally designed to seat 3,500–4,500 people, a smaller entertainment space known as the Little Theater designed to seat 675, and the Shrine of the Immortal, a war memorial with murals by renowned artist Leon Kroll commemorating the 355 soldiers and nurses from Worcester who fell during World War I. The Aud was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 as part of the Institutional District. In 2009, Preservation Massachusetts included Lincoln Square on its "Most Endangered Historic Resources" list, because the square's three historic buildings – the Aud, the old Worcester County Courthouse, and the Lincoln Square Boys Club – were all empty or underutilized.
This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Vanderburgh County, Indiana.
This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Warrick County, Indiana.
The Willard Carpenter House, located at 405 Carpenter Street in downtown Evansville, Indiana, is one of two landmarks recognized as memorials to one of the city's most influential pioneers, philanthropist Willard Carpenter. The other is Willard Library which he built, endowed and gave to the people of the area. Willard Carpenter, born on March 15, 1803, at Strafford, Orange County, Vermont, was a son of Willard, Sr., and Polly (Bacon) Carpenter, and a descendant of the noted Rehoboth Carpenter family.
The Willard Library is a private donation library incorporated in 1881 to serve the city of Evansville, Indiana, and to carry out the terms of a private trust. The Willard Library houses a trove of local archives and genealogical materials in addition to its collection of standard publications. It is built in the Gothic Revival style, designed by James W. Reid. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
The Old Vanderburgh County Jail, commonly referred to as "the Old Jail," was built in 1890 in Evansville, Indiana. The Old Jail is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Old Jail consists of two different structures that are attached: (1) the actual jail and (2) the former Vanderburgh County sheriff's residence.