Temples of Jazz – The Ballrooms

Aragon Ballroom in Chicago – Source: ballroom-chicago.com

This post is the first of a three-part series about those special places that brought the jazz era to life beyond the recording studio and radio station. The ballrooms, theaters, and smokey clubs are where jazz musicians were able to interact with and play music live for their adoring fans.

Vanity Ball Room in Detroit – Source: america.ctgn.com

Unfortunately, while researching the history the ballroom temples of jazz, it quickly became apparent how unfairly African-American musicians and their black fans were accommodated compared to how white performers and their fans were treated. While this difference is clearly associated with the ongoing segregationist Jim Crow laws of the time, it is still painful to read about the extent some people in our country went to separate the races for no good reason other than blatant bigotry.

El Torreon Ballroom in Kansas City – Source: kcjazzhistory.kcai-sites.com

This unjust and unequal treatment only began to change in the late 1950s and 1960s as integration and desegregation became the law of the land.  For the jazz era, this much needed change was largely too late for the genre, as it had already reached its pinnacle of popularity. Sadly, the examples provided below, all too often remind one of today’s efforts to diminish and disdain people of color, women, the LGBTQ community, and those with non-Christina religious beliefs.

Trianon Ballroom in Chicago – Source: about.colum.edu

Here’s a short paragraph from The Encyclopedia of Chicago on dance halls that refers to the abject segregation that took place amongst ballrooms there during much of the Jazz Age.

“The Trianon, White City Ballroom and Casino, and the Coconut Grove Ballroom had a whites-only policy. Thus, dance halls emerged for the African Americans streaming to the South Side. Lincoln Gardens, Dreamland Ballroom, and many others dotted “the Stroll ” at Thirty-Fifth and State; later in the 1920s the Savoy Ballroom opened on Forty-Seventh. Home to the jazz that accompanied newcomers from New Orleans during the Great Migration, the dance halls also helped southern blacks adjust to urban, albeit segregated, patterns of entertainment.”

Savoy Ballroom in Chicago – Source: pinterest.com

Several of the sad examples of Jim Crow era segregation rules employed by certain ballrooms included:

• As noted above, a number of the venues listed were open to whites-only, even if the performers were African-Americans. The term “refined dancing”was often used, especially in the early days of jazz.
• Some venues only allowed African-Americans to attend performances by watching from the balconies, while in one case, the opposite was true.
• Certain venues (including Sweet’s in Oakland, California) held unannounced and unpublicized concerts/dances for African-American fans the night following  a whites-only show.
• In the 1920s, Royal/Lincoln Gardens in Chicago held a Midnight Ramble on Wednesday nights where they had an 8 pm show for African Americans, followed by an 11 pm show for whites-only.
• One venue in particular (Topper Ballroom in Cincinnati), operated the ballroom under a different name (Graystone Ballroom) when African-American performers were playing at the facility.
• Very few venues, such as the Savoy in Harlem, allowed the races to mix and enjoy the performances together at concerts/dances.

One of the strangest historical details identified while compiling this information is the ridiculous number of ballrooms that met their untimely or ultimate fate due to fires (23 ballrooms on the list below). It is not known whether faulting wiring, bad maintenance, or more suspicious causes led to these conflagrations, but at least a few were identified in online articles as arson related. Give the state of American race relations at the time, one has to wonder if that had anything to do with some of these fires.

Idora Park Ballroom fire – Source: ytownfiredept.tripod.com

Those that did not succumb to fire were often demolished in the name of urban renewal or highway construction – far too often aimed directly at then-vibrant historically black communities and neighborhoods.

Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa – Source: surfballroom.com

On a happier note, a good number of the venues that have survived are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. While this designation does not guarantee long-term survival, it is definitely helpful, particularly in increasing the chances of obtaining low-interest loans and grants for restoration and renovation.

Source: pinterest.com

One last interesting tidbit is the apparent lack of ballroom jazz venues in its birthplace — New Orleans. To date, a Jazz Age ballroom has yet to be identified in the city. This may be due to the popularity of the small clubs, juke joints, and similar venues in the Crescent City. It may also have had something to do with segregation, as well because there are comparatively few southern cities on the list provided below.

Source: nickcassway.com

Those ballroom venues where more information would be helpful are identified in italics with the phrase “more details needed.”

Source: pinterest.com(

The list is presented with the city (neighborhood or suburb), state abbreviation: address (years in operation as primarily a jazz music venue) – and then details on the venue’s other names, its continued history, its preservation, and/or its demise are provided when known.

Any corrections, additions, suggestions, or clarifications are always most welcome.

Peace.

______

Ballrooms from the Jazz Age:

• Allentown,PA: Empire Ballroom – Hanover Avenue – more details needed
• Allentown (Rittersville), PA: Frolics Ballroom – 1411 Union Boulevard (ca. 1915-1941) – part of Central Park Amusement Park – destroyed by accidental fire in 1941. The entire park was eventually redeveloped as commercial uses.
• Allentown, PA: Mealey’s Ballroom – 425 Hamilton Street (1910-1940) – converted to a roller rink in 1941. Operated as a roller skating rink k from 1941-1954 and then used as a warehouse until 1961 when it was torn down. Now the site of City Hall.
• Appleton, WI: Cinderella Ballroom – 2215 S. Oneida Street (1920s-1981) – demolished in 1985.
• Ashbury Park, NJ: State Ballroom – Springwood & Atkins – more details needed
• Atlantic City, NJ: Steel Pier Ballroom – 1000 Boardwalk (1898-1960s) – unused for a number of years, but now mainly amusement rides.
• Austin, MN: Terp Ballroom (a.k.a. Riverside Ballroom) – 210 Fourth Street NE (1938-1978) – destroyed by fire in 1945 and rebuilt.
• Baltimore, MD: Alcazar Ballroom – 712 Cathedral Street (1924-1980) – located in the former Alcazar Hotel. Now a part of the Baltimore School of the Arts.
• Baltimore, MD: Famous Ballroom – more details needed
• Boise, ID: Miramar Ballroom – (1930s-1963) – burned down in 1963.
• Boston (Salem), MA: Charleshurst Ballroom – (1923 -?) – now known as the Willows Casino Arcade.
• Boston (Cambridge), MA: Elk’s Ballroom – more details needed
• Boston (Marshfield), MA: Fieldstone Ballroom – (1925-1941) – more details needed
• Boston (Foxboro), MA: Lakeview Ballroom – (1906-2014) – destroyed by a fire in 2014. Replacement pavilion built in 2015.
• Boston (Dedham), MA: Moseley’s on the Charles Ballroom – 50 Bridge Street (1905-present) – Oldest continuously running ballroom in the country.
• Boston (Waltham), MA: Nutting’s Ballroom – (1914-1961) – was originally a boathouse. Burned down in 1965.
• Boston (Uptown), MA: Raymor-Playmor Ballroom – Huntington Avenue – more details needed
• Boston (Back Bay), MA: Roseland State Ballroom – Commonwealth Avenue between Huntington and Columbus – Malcolm X worked here shining shoes when he was young.
• Boston (Newton), MA: Totem Pole Ballroom – Norumbega Amusement Park (1930-1964) – a Marriott Hotel is on the site now.
• Bridgeport (Black Rock), CT: Ritz Ballroom – Fairfield Avenue (1923-1962) – converted to a furniture store after closure, but burned down in 1970.
• Brooklyn, NY: Rosemont Ballroom (previously Roseland Ballroom)- Fulton & Flatbush Avenue (?-1942)- destroyed by fire in 1942 – more details needed
• Buckeye Lake, OH: Pier Ballroom – more details needed
• Buffalo, NY: Town Ballroom (originally Town Casino) – 681 Main Street (1940s-present) – renovated and used as a concert venue.
• Canton, OH: Moonlight Ballroom (original) – Meyers Lake Park (1927-1979) – destroyed by fire in 1979.
• Catalina Island, CA: Avalon Ballroom – (1929-present) – world’s largest circular ballroom. Continues to be used as performance
• Cedar Rapids, IA: Danceland Ballroom – Third Street & A Avenue (1926-1968) – demolished for urban renewal.
• Chicago (Uptown), IL: Aragon Ballroom – 1106 W. Lawrence (1926-present)
• Chicago (Uptown), IL: Arcadia Ballroom – 4432 N. Broadway (1910-1933) – hosted primarily sporting events after 1933 until the buildings was destroyed by fire in 1959
• Chicago (Woodlawn), IL: Cinderella’s Ballroom, a.k.a. The Grand Ballroom – 6351 S. Cottage Grove (1923-present).
• Chicago, IL: Coconut Grove Ballroom – operated under a whites-only policy – more details needed
• Chicago (Bronzeville), IL: Dreamland Ballroom – 1761 W. Van Buren Street (1915-ca. 1930) – closed after the death of its owner. I-290 passes through the site today. Operated exclusively for white audiences.
• Chicago (Bronzeville), IL: Forum Hall Ballroom – 324 E. 43rd Street at Calumet Avenue (1889-present).
• Chicago (Bronzeville), IL: Grand Terrace Ballroom – 313 E. 35th Street (1909-1940) – now a privately owned events center.
• Chicago, IL: Marigold Ballroom – more details needed
• Chicago (North Riverside), IL: Melody Mill Ballroom – 2401 Des Plaines Avenue (1930-1984) – closed in 1984.
• Chicago (Woodlawn), IL: Midway Gardens Ballroom – Cottage Grove & 60th Street (1914-1929) demolished in 1929.
• Chicago, IL: Parkway Ballroom – 4455 S. King Drive (1940-1974).
• Chicago (Woodlawn), IL: Pershing Ballroom – Cottage Gove and E. 64th Street – in the Pershing Hotel. More details needed.
• Chicago, IL: Ritz Ballroom – Garfield Boulevard – more details needed
• Chicago (Bronzeville), IL: Royal/Lincoln Gardens Ballroom – 459 E. 31st Street (1921-1927) – On Wednesday nights, the musicians played for African-American guests from 8-11 pm and then whites-only for the 11 pm show.
• Chicago (Bronzeville), IL: Savoy Ballroom – 4733 S. MLK Boulevard (1927-1954) – demolished in the 1970s, but now the site of the Harold Washington Cultural Center.
• Chicago (Woodlawn), IL: Trianon Ballroom – 6201 S. Cottage Grove (1922-1958) – demolished in 1967 for a low-income urban renewal project. During much of the Jazz Age it operated under a whites-only policy.
• Chicago, IL: White City Ballroom (a.k.a. Amusement Park Ballroom)- Parkway & 63rd Street (1905-1950) – during much of the Jazz Age in operated under a whites-only policy – more details needed.
• Chicago (Willow Springs), IL: Willowbrook Ballroom (a.k.a. O;Henry Ballroom) – 8900 Archer Avenue (1921-2016) – destroyed by fire in 2016.
• Cincinnati, OH: Topper Ballroom [a.k.a. Greystone (1928-1936) and Trianon(1936)] – second floor of Cincinnati Music Hall (1928-1974) – would use the name Greystone Ballroom for African-American events after 1936.
• Clear Lake IA: Surf Ballroom (original) – North Shore Drive (1934-1946) – destroyed by fire in 1946. New location built across the street.
• Clear Lake, IA: Surf Ballroom (second) – 460 North Shore Drive (1948-1994) – Reopened for tours and as a concert and events venue in 1998.  Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011 and the Iowa Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
• Cleveland, OH: Aragon Ballroom – 3179 W. 25th Street (1933-1989).
• Cleveland, OH: Osters Ballroom – 2052 E. 105th Street (1925-?) – more details needed
• Cleveland, OH: The Crystal Slipper, later the Trianon Ballroom – 9810 Euclid Avenue (1924-1950s) – razed for a parking lot
• Columbus (King-Lincoln), OH: Lincoln Theatre Ballroom – 769 E. Long Street (1928-present) – Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.
• Columbus, OH: Valley Dale Ballroom – 1590 Sunbury Road (1922-?) – remains in use as an event venue. Added to the National Register of Historic Places.
• Dallas, TX: Skylon Ballroom – more details needed
• Davenport, IA: The Col Ballroom – 1012 W. 4th Street (1914-2018) – on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Davenport,IA: Danceland Ballroom – 501 W. 4th (1920-?) now used as an events center.
• Dayton, OH: Graystone Ballroom – more details needed
• Denver (Five Points), CO: Casino Cabaret/Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom – 2637 Welton Street (1930s-present) – remains a music venue today.
• Denver, CO: El Patio Ballroom – Lakeside Amusement Park (1908-?)
• Denver, CO: Orpheum Ballroom – 1425 Welton Street – more details needed
• Des Moines, IA: Shelburn Gardens/Billiken Ballroom – 790 12th Street (1921-1960s) – later known as the 790 Club.
• Des Moines, IA: Tromar Ballroom – 5th & Park Street – more details needed
• Des Moines (West Des Moines), IA: Val-Air Ballroom – Ashworth & 63rd Street (1939-present) – continues to operate today as a live music and events venue.
• Detroit, MI: Arcadia Ballroom “The Arc” – 3527 Woodward Avenue (1912-1923 and 1929-1941) – converted to a roller skating rink in 1941. Demolished in 1972 for senior housing.
• Detroit (Eastpointe), MI: Eastwood Park Ballroom – more details needed
• Detroit, MI: Grande Ballroom – 8952 Grand River Avenue (1928-1972) – last performances in 1972. Vacant and deteriorating
• Detroit, MI: Graystone Ballroom – 4237 Woodward Avenue (1922-1963)- demolished in 1980.
• Detroit (Luna Pier), MI: Luna Pier Ballroom – 10721 Victory Road (1920s-?) – permanently closed.
• Detroit (Jefferson-Chalmers), MI: Vanity Ballroom – 1024 Newport at Jefferson (1929-1988) – Jefferson East, Inc. is raising funds for its restoration. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
• Dixon, IL: Armory Ballroom – more details needed
• Fall River (Westport), MA: Lincoln Park Ballroom – Lincoln Amusement Park (1894-1987 – gradually declined and abandoned.
• Fargo. ND: Crystal Ballroom – First Avenue South & Broadway – more details needed
• Fitchburg (Gardner), MA: Arcadia Ballroom – S. High Street – more details needed
• Fort Lee, NJ: Mardi Gras Ballroom – more details needed
• Fort Lauderdale, FL: Trianon Ballroom – S. Andrews Avenue (1935-?) – more details needed
• Gary-Hammond (Robertsdale), IN: Danceland Ballroom – Calumet Avenue & 114th Street (1929-1967) – destroyed by fire in 1967.
• Gary-Hammond (Cedar Lake, IN: Midway Ballroom – destroyed by fire in 1987.
• Gary-Hammond (Gary), IN: Miramar Ballroom – 14th & Madison – more details needed
• Grand Island, NE: Glovera Ballroom – Fourth Street (1928-1956) – destroyed by fire in 1956.
• Grand Forks (East Grand Forks), ND/MN: States Ballroom – (1935-1950) 1024 Demers Avenue – destroyed by fire in 1950.
• Hamilton, ON – Pier Ballroom – Beach Boulevard
• Harrisburg (Old Midtown), PA: Capitol Ballroom – 1110 N. Third Street – now part of the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center.
• Harrisburg, PA: Madrid Ballroom – 3rd & Chestnut Streets – more details needed
• Hartford, CT: Crystal Ballroom – more details needed
• Houston, TX: Aragon Ballroom – destroyed by fire in 1945. More details needed.
• Houston (Third Ward), TX – Eldorado Ballroom – 2310 Elgin Street (1939-early 1970s) – renovated in 2003 and received a Texas Historic Marker designation in 2011
• Indianapolis (Indiana Avenue), IN: Sunset Terrace Ballroom – Indiana Avenue (1938-late 1950s) – eventually demolished.
• Kansas City, MO: El Torreon Ballroom – 3101 Gilliam Plaza (1927-1936) – became a supper club in 1936. Used for various activities since and is now an events center. Catered to white-only audiences during the Jazz Age.
• Kansas City, MO: La Fiesta Ballroom – 41st & Main – more details needed
• Kansas City, MO: Paseo Ballroom (originally called Delaney’s) – 1414 Truman Road (then 15th Street) (1924-1945) – purchased in 1945 by St. Stephen Baptist Church. Catered to African-American audiences except for two years between 1933-1935.
• Kansas City, MO: Pla Mor Ballroom – 3142 S. Main Street (1927-1951) – demolished in 1972 to make way for a car dealership. Catered to white-only audiences.
• Lancaster, PA: Rocky Springs Ballroom – (1924-1987) – destroyed by fire in 1987.
• Lawrence, MA: Recreation Ballroom – more details needed
• Lincoln, NE: Pla Mor Ballroom – 6600 West O Street (1929-present) – now used as an event center.
• Lincoln, NE: Turnpike Ballroom – 14th Street (?-1976) – burned down in 1976.
• Little Rock (The Line), AR: Dreamland Ballroom – 800 W. 9th Street (1918-present) – on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982 with preservation and restoration efforts ongoing.
• Los Angeles (Santa Monica), CA – Aragon Ballroom (originally Bon Ton Ballroom) – Lick Pier (1922-1970) – destroyed by fire in 1970.
• Los Angeles, CA: Avodon Ballroom – Main & Spring Streets – more details needed
• Los Angeles (Culver City), CA: Casa Mañana Ballroom – 8781 Washington Boulevard – more details needed
• Los Angeles, CA: Diana Ballroom – 4067 W. Pico Boulevard – still in operation as a dance club, though under a different name (Catch One) – Thank you Michael!
• Los Angeles (Venice), CA: Fraser’s Ballroom/Pavilion – more details needed
• Los Angeles (Santa Monica),CA: La Monica Ballroom – (1924-1954) – converted to a roller rink,but demolished in 1963.
• Los Angeles, CA: Palomar Ballroom (a.k.a. the El Patio Ballroom and Rainbow Gardens)- Vermont Avenue (1925-1939) destroyed by fire in 1939.
• Los Angeles (Boyle Heights), CA: Paramount Ballroom – 2708 E. Cesar Chavez Avenue  – restored and reopened in 2019.
• Los Angeles(Hollywood), CA: Sunset Ballroom (upper level of Palladium Theatre) – 6215 Sunset Boulevard (1940-1955) – converted to primarily a Latin music ball room (1955-1976). Recently restored and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
• Los Angeles (South Gate), CA: Trianon Ballroom – Firestone Boulevard – more details needed
• Los Angeles, CA: Vogue Ballroom – more details needed
• Louisville, KY: Madrid Ballroom – Third & Guthrie (1929-1952) – the building was renovated into offices after the ballroom closed.
• Lowell, MA: Commodore Ballroom (first known as the Casino) – Thorndike Street (1924-1973) – demolished after a fire in 1983.
• Manchester, NH: Arcadia Ballroom – more details needed
• Manchester, NH: Bedford Gardens Ballroom – more details needed
• Mankato, MN: Kato Ballroom – 200 Chestnut Street (1954-?)
• Michigan City, IN: Oasis Ballroom – in Washington Park (early 1920s-1962) –  torn down in 1962.
• Milwaukee, WI: Modernistic Ballroom – State Fairgrounds (1922-?) – more details needed
• Milwaukee, WI: Wisconsin Roof Ballroom – 536 Wisconsin Avenue (1924-1958) – more details needed
• Minneapolis, MN: Aragon Ballroom [previously Dreamland Ballroom (1909-1915) and Arcadia Ballroom (1915-1934)] – 315 S. 5th Street (1934- ?) – the building was demolished in 1961.
• Minneapolis, MN: New Marigold Ballroom – Nicollet Avenue & Grant Street (1926-1975) – demolished in 1975-76 and replaced by a Hyatt Regency Hotel in 1979.
• Minneapolis, MN: Pla-Mor Ballroom – 724 Fourth Avenue South (1925-?) – more details needed
• Nashua, NH: Blackbird Ballroom – more details needed
• Newark (Cedar Grove), NJ: Meadowbrook Ballroom – Newark-Pompon Turnpike (1923-1959) – became a dinner theatre in 1959 which operated until 1973. Now part of an orthodox church.
• New York City (Harlem), NY: Alhambra Ballroom – 126th Street & Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard (1929-?) – Ballroom added to the 1905 theatre in 1929. Converted into an events venue in 2003.
• New York City (Coney Island), NY: Dreamland Ballroom – at the end of the Steel Pier (1904-1911) – destroyed along with most of the Dreamland Park in 1911.
• New York City (Harlem), NY: Golden Gate Ballroom (previously State Palace Ballroom) – Lenox Avenue & 142nd Street (1939-1950).
• New York City (Harlem), NY: Renaissance Ballroom – 7th Avenue & 138th Street (1921-1979) –  Abandoned, deteriorating, and in need of restoration.
• New York City (Midtown), NY: Roseland Ballroom (original location) – 1658 Broadway (1919-1956) – demolished in 1956.
• New York City, NY: Royal Windsor Ballroom – more details needed
• New York City (Harlem), NY: Savoy Ballroom – 596 Lenox Avenue (1926-1958) – demolished for a housing development in 1959. Likely the first integrated ballroom venue in America with a non-discrimination policy during segregation and the only one in New York City at the time.
• Norfolk, VA: Palomar Ballroom – more details needed
• North Adams, MA: Meadowbrook Ballroom – more details needed
• Oakland, CA: Sweet’s Ballroom (a.k.a. McFadden Ballroon in 1930s and Sands Ballroom in the 1970s) – 1933 Broadway – now part of the Oakland School for the Arts. Unannounced dances for African-Americans when African-American bands were in town the following night after the show for whites. This stayed true through WW II.
• Ogden, UT: White City Ballroom – 25th Street (1922-1979) – has since been torn down.
• Oklahoma City, OK: Ritz Ballroom – whites only ballroom – more details needed
• Oklahoma City, OK: Trianon Ballroom (formerly Civic Theatre) – 501 W. California (1907-1960s) – Operated at the Trianon from 1938 to 1958 – torn down in the mid-1960s.
• Old Orchard Beach, ME: Palace Ballroom – W. Grand Avenue & Staples Street (1934-1967).
• Old Orchard Beach, ME: Pier Casino Ballroom – Old Orchard Beach Pier (1898-1970).
• Olympia, WA: Evergreen Ballroom – Olympia-Tacoma Highway – more details needed
• Omaha, NE: Chermot Ballroom – destroyed by fire in 1943 – more details needed
• Omaha, NE: Dreamland Ballroom – 2221 N. 24th Street (1923-1965) – It is located on the second floor of the Jewell Building, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Dreamland Historical Project in the neighborhood is attempting to revive North Omaha’s as a jazz center.
• Orange County, CA:Redondo Beach Ballroom – more details needed
• Orange County (Balboa), CA – Rendezvous Ballroom – (1928-1966) – destroyed by fire in 1966.
• Orange County (Huntington Beach), CA – Pavalon Ballroom – (?-1966) – destroyed by fire in 1966.
• Peoria (Edelstein), IL: Hub Ballroom – Main Street (1938-2009) – destroyed by fire in 2009.
• Philadelphia, PA: Strand Ballroom – Broad & Bainbridge Streets – more details needed
• Philadelphia (Pottstown), PA: Sunnybrook Ballroom – (1931-2005) – added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
• Philadelphia, PA: Trianon Ballroom – more details needed
• Pittsburgh (Hill District), PA: Savoy Ballroom (a.k.a.the Elmore Theatre) – 1923 (Elmore)/1933 (Savoy)-1940 – now a gospel music center for the Olivet Baptist Church
• Pittsburgh (Hill District), PA: Pythian Temple/New Savoy Ballroom – (1928-1970s)
• Portland, OR: Crystal Ballroom – 1332 W. Burnside (1914-present) – on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Portland, OR: McElroy’s Spanish Ballroom – SW 4th Avenue & Madison Street (1926-?)
• Portland, OR: Uptown Ballroom – 21st & W. Burnside – more details needed
• Pottsville, PA: Ritz Ballroom – more details needed
• Providence (Woonsocket), RI: Miami Ballroom – more details needed
• Reading, PA: Coconut Grove Ballroom – 1016 Penn Street – more details needed
• Red Wing, MN: Skyline Ballroom – more details needed
• Reno, NV: El Patio Ballroom – more details needed
• Richmond, VA: Mosque Ballroom – 6 N. Laurel Street (1927-1940) – various uses during WWII. Reused as an events venue after WWII. Restored in 2013-14 and now named the Altria Theatre.
• Richmond, VA: Tantilla Ballroom – 3817 W. Broad Street (1933-1969) – demolished in 1969.
• Rochester, MN: Pla-Mor Ballroom – 2024 Hwy 14 East (1951-2006) – more details needed
• Rochester, MN: Valencia Ballroom – more details needed
• Rochester (Edgerton), NY: Edgerton Stardust Ballroom – 41 Backus Street – more than 100 years old – more details needed
• Sacramento, CA: Elks Tower Ballroom – 11th & J Streets (1922-present) – renovated in 2006.
• Sacramento, CA: Sweet’s Ballroom – more details needed
• Salt Lake City, UT: Rainbow Rendezvous Ballroom – 47 E. Fifth Avenue South – more details needed
• Salt Lake City, UT: Saltair II Ballroom – (1926-1942 and 1946-1958) – built after a fire decoyed Saltair I in 1925. Was closed during World War II and opened after the war, but closed again 1958. Destroyed by an arson fire in 1970. Altair III was built nearby.
• San Diego, CA: Mission Beach Ballroom – more details needed
• San Diego, CA: Pacific Square Ballroom – 1375 Pacific Highway (1940-1988) – torn down in 1988.
• San Francisco, CA: Trianon Ballroom – 1223 Fillmore – more details needed
• Santa Cruz (Capitola), CA: Capitola Ballroom – more details needed
• Seattle, WA: Encore Ballroom – 1214 E. Pike Street -now a storage facility.
• Seattle, WA: Parker’s Ballroom – Aurora Avenue (1930-1980) – converted to a supper club in 1980, then a sports bar, and later demolished in 2012.
• Seattle (Belltown), WA: Trianon Ballroom – 2505 3rd Street (1926-1956) – converted to an office building.
• Shreveport, LA: The Roof Garden – 975 Texas Avenue (1923-1940s). Located atop the Calanthean Temple. Hatori marker out front of the building.
• Sioux City, IA: Skylon Ballroom (originally The Roof Garden) – 520 Nebraska Street (1921-1940s) – Located atop the Commerce Building which is in the National Register of Historic Places.
• Sioux City, IA: Tomba Ballroom (originally Sioux City Auditorium) – 625 Douglas Street (1947-1956) – became the location of KCAU in 1956. Now the home of the Lamb Arts Regional Theatre.
• Sioux Falls, SD: Arkota Ballroom – 13th Street & Phillips Avenue (1925-1980) – now owned and operated by the Shriners.
• Sioux Falls, SD: Neptune Ballroom – more details needed
• Springfield, MA: Butterfly Ballroom – more details needed
• Springfield, MA: Riverside Park Ballroom – Riverside Park (1917-1948) – replaced with a racetrack in 1948.
• St. Joseph (Coloma), MI: Crystal Palace Ballroom – on Paw Paw Lake (1925-1963) – destroyed by fire in 1965.
• St. Joseph, MO: Frog Hop Ballroom – Pickett Road (1928-1945) – burned to the ground in 1945.
• St. Louis (South Side), MO: Casa Loma Ballroom, since 1935 (previously known as Cinderella and Showboat Ballrooms) – 3354 Iowa Avenue (1927-present) – remains in use as an events center.
• St. Louis, MO: Carioca Ballroom – Sarah & Finney – more details needed
• St. Louis (Mill Creek Valley), MO: Castle Ballroom (known as Cave Ballroom prior to 1922) – 2839 Olive Avenue (1908-present) – last jazz shows in 1952. Vacant since 1950s. Later impacted by urban renewal projects in the surrounding area. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011, but demolished in 2014 due to roof collapse.
• St. Paul, MN: Coliseum Ballroom – 449 Lexington Parkway at University (1920s-1958) – more details needed
• St. Paul (Midway), MN: Prom Ballroom – 1190 University Avenue (1941-1987) – torn down in 1987.
• Tacoma (Fife), WA: Century Ballroom – 1406 54th Avenue E. (1934-1956) – burned down in 1964.
• Tacoma, WA: Oakes Ballroom – more details needed
• Tampa, FL: Apollo Ballroom – in the Pyramid/Rogers Hotel – more details needed
• Taunton, MA: Rosalind Ballroom – more details needed
• Terre Haute, IN: Trianon Ballroom – 29th Street & Wabash Avenue (1923-late 1940s) – torn down in the 1960s for a Topp’s Discount Department Store. Does not appear to be part of the Trianon Ballroom chain.
• Toledo, OH: Trianon Ballroom – Madison Avenue (1925-1954).
• Topeka, KS : Meadow Acres Ballroom – 2950 S. Topeka Boulevard –
• Toronto, ON – Queensway Ballroom (previously the Palace Pier Ballroom) – (1927-1963) – destroyed y an arsonist in 1963.
• Tulsa, OK: Cain’s Ballroom – 423 N. Main Street (1924-present) – still used as a concert venue. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.
• Twin Falls, ID: Radioland Ballroom – (1940-1950) – converted to roller skating.
• Waterloo, IA: Electric Park Ballroom – more details needed
• Wichita, KA: Blue Moon Ballroom – 3401 S. Oliver (1940-1960) – in its latter years it was known as the Blue Note Ballroom.
• Wichita, KS: Ritz Ballroom – more details needed
• Wichita KS: Trig Ballroom – opened 1953 – more details needed
• Wildwood, NJ: Hunt’s Starlight Ballroom – Boardwalk at Oak Street (1943-1981) – converted to an arcade and shops in 1981, but burned down that same year.
• Winona, MN: Wyattville Ballroom – more details needed
• Worcester, MA: Mohegan Ballroom – more details needed
• Yakima, WA: Fairmont Ballroom – more details needed
• York, PA: Valencia Ballroom (originally the Coliseum Ballroom) – 143 N. George Street (1911-present) – currently used as an event venue.
• Youngstown, OH: Idora Ballroom – Idora Park (1899-1984) – destroyed by fire in 2001.
• Youngstown, OH: The Elms Ballroom – 529 Elm Street (1929-1965) – razed in 1965.

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SOURCES:

• http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/361.html
• https://www.domu.com/chicago/neighborhoods/bronzeville/history-in-bronzeville?page=1
• http://www.jazzresearch.se/upl/website/chicago-jazz-clubs/ChicagoJazzClubsv5April20121.pdf
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalina_Casino
• https://books.google.com/books?id=NgwEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA8&lpg=PA8&dq=rosemont+ballroom+brooklyn&source=bl&ots=Gd1B57e0G4&sig=ACfU3U3VO68oMqhpJX9ZvBs4HpsR3e8Eqg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiJwrCqtovkAhUDD60KHWbHC1MQ6AEwBXoECAgQAQ#v=onepage&q=rosemont%20ballroom%20brooklyn&f=false
• https://lancasteronline.com/features/flashback-lancaster/article_cc435635-a79a-53bf-bb45-4630fce601f2.html
• http://radiorondevoo.com/history/
• http://www.walternelson.com/dr/node/3240
• https://www.facebook.com/NMAAHC/photos/a.148473516989/10151436957306990/?type=1&theater
• https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Mealeys_Auditorium,_Allentown,_Pennsylvania
• https://katieaune.com/raised-in-chicago-jazz/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_Palladium
• http://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2014/03/recalling-opening-of-roseland-ballroom.html
• https://www.facebook.com/NMAAHC/photos/a.148473516989/10151436957306990/?type=1&theater
• https://www.standard.net/news/local/monday-memories-ogden-music-halls/collection_d803682f-3b92-5831-800a-1cc91750b115.html
• https://willowsarcade.com/park/
• https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/illinois/new-book-recalls-danceland-as-the-place-to-be-on/article_c7eb6bdb-af39-53fd-beb6-ed14b639e642.html
• https://www.postcrescent.com/story/news/2014/04/17/the-buzz-retracing-cinderellas-steps/7804635/
• http://www.radiocom.net/History/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltair_(Utah)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalina_Casino
• http://www.cityoflunapier.com/CommunityEvents/HistoricalCommunityInformation.aspx
• https://www.tribstar.com/news/lifestyles/historical-treasure-trianon-tops-in-fun-in-terre-haute/article_cbbdd0ca-8dff-5867-9b7c-55e2d15074e1.html
• https://www.tampagov.net/art-programs/perry-harvey-sr-park/chitlin-circuit
• https://www.argusleader.com/story/life/2014/04/25/looking-back-arkota-venue-big-bands/8169341/
• http://nw-music-archives.blogspot.com/2012/09/tacoma-musicians-benefit-ball-1937.html
• https://www.facebook.com/ballroomhistory/
• https://celebratecityliving.com/neighborhood/edgerton/
• https://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589937124
• https://www.rblandmark.com/News/Articles/10-20-2009/Remembering-the-moonlight/
• https://www.heraldargus.com/news/community/oasis-ballroom/article_62a26983-dbdb-5c6d-97e9-a841617d7320.html
• http://pnwbands.com/miermar.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moseley%27s_on_the_Charles
• https://books.google.com/books?id=GKgJNIaWn1IC&pg=PA41&lpg=PA41&dq=integrated+ballrooms+in+america&source=bl&ots=rAAwvmg8vY&sig=ACfU3U01xp4rgPCbkQCpg3XzN3OFei-S2w&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiCycvi-ozkAhVL-6wKHQsxAgEQ6AEwD3oECAsQAQ#v=onepage&q=integrated%20ballrooms%20in%20america&f=false
• http://meadowbrookproject.com/about%20the%20meadowbrook.htm
• https://www.historicdetroit.org/buildings/arcadia-ballroom
• http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~blissmer/history/Band.html
• https://case.edu/ech/articles/d/selected-list-dance-halls-and-ballrooms-cuyahoga-county
• http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2004/12/31_galballye_katoballroom/
• https://plamorballroom.com
• http://riverwalkjazz.stanford.edu/program/swinging-south-side-heartbeat-chicago-jazz
• https://www.surfballroom.com/timeline.html
• https://dancelandballroom.com
• https://www.heartofconeyisland.com/dreamland-coney-island.html
• https://www.dispatch.com/photogallery/OH/20181203/ENTERTAINMENT/120309990/PH/1
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willowbrook_Ballroom
• https://theconcertdatabase.com/venues/elms-ballroom
• http://friendsofsdarch.photoshelter.com/image/I0000RZtm64GqUbI
• https://web.archive.org/web/20070311004726/http://minnewiki.publicradio.org/index.php/Prom_Ballroom
• http://basinstreet.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/nohistry.pdf
• https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/8dcb16fa-fd4d-4feb-b5a7-f1687f15b9c5
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altria_Theater
• https://hopeseguin2011.wordpress.com/2011/04/18/dreamland-ballroom/
• http://www.cincinnativiews.net/buildings_5.htm
• http://www.sunbythesea.com/old/archives/Summer08/Starlight_SUM_08.html
• https://www.kansas.com/news/article1148980.html
• https://www.theindependent.com/news/last-owner-of-popular-glovera-ballroom-dies-at/article_330b6992-63bf-5eb4-9f6a-215563abaa5f.html
• https://www.facebook.com/Midway-Ballroom-192140487501844/
• https://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/remembering-the-days-of-ballrooms-and-bands/article_6f637c48-8981-5cea-8f54-2785cdbc4c1e.html
• https://www.setlist.fm/venue/terp-ballroom-austin-mn-usa-3d52167.html
• http://www.scottymoore.net/richmond.html
• Toronto’s old Palace Pier Ballroom
• RVA’s Tantilla Garden: The rise and fall of the grandest ballroom in the South
• https://images3.loopnet.com/d2/_rAyDvMhvxWJE76BqRX6gPc2MGsbNA4N7C9FkbR7SEE/document.pdf
• https://www.apnews.com/a9727a74348c41fc99178c66fd9e9f83
• https://www.historylink.org/File/3827
• http://www.lonnylynn.com/Trivia/BallroomBurning.htm
• https://books.google.com/books?id=ApPrqn4–IkC&pg=PA44&lpg=PA44&dq=riverside+ballroom+springfield,+Mass&source=bl&ots=ef6gyZE2QA&sig=ACfU3U1MCitHV5aY_w5F53TEFW2lEjWNuA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiTvJTriPzjAhUSHM0KHTylCTkQ6AEwDXoECAgQAQ#v=onepage&q=riverside%20ballroom%20springfield%2C%20Mass&f=false
• https://eventful.com/canton/events/dancinwithourstarsrememberingmoonlightballroom-/E0-001-014593278-8
• https://books.google.com/books?id=5WwBBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA123&lpg=PA123&dq=palomar+ballroom+-+norfolk,+va&source=bl&ots=vLZzZyjym3&sig=ACfU3U1tUA4JZcnk2lBOD5uVMEAEj4laRg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjGzqCmpPvjAhVPVc0KHfckCLkQ6AEwEXoECAcQAQ#v=onepage&q=palomar%20ballroom%20-%20norfolk%2C%20va&f=false
• https://localwiki.org/oakland/Sweet%27s_Ballroom
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritz_Ballroom,_Bridgepor
• http://www.baltimorejam.org/Venues/Alcazar/alcazar.html
• https://www.travelok.com/music-trail/venues/deep-deuce
• https://www.thegazette.com/2013/04/21/danceland-ballroom
• https://books.google.com/books?id=mWZjiRBQJBkC&pg=PA17&lpg=PA17&dq=ritz+ballroom+pottsville&source=bl&ots=dHv4hHppKd&sig=ACfU3U2MHEXD3g1tfRkz6iC5lvPwGfYzEA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiExM-grPvjAhVFCM0KHX_aAtQ4ChDoATABegQIBxAB#v=onepage&q=ritz%20ballroom%20pottsville&f=false
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rendezvous_Ballrooom
• https://www.mcall.com/news/mc-xpm-1994-02-20-2962067-story.html
• https://untappedcities.com/2015/04/02/12-of-nycs-historic-ballrooms-grand-entertainment-venues-of-another-era/8/
• https://www.heraldpalladium.com/news/local/crystal-palace-was-the-place-to-be/article_aa7d37ac-dd8b-5d65-9d74-b1fe6a47853c.html
• http://www.hartfordmichigan.com/wwwroot/hartfordhistory/Social/Crystal%20Palace.htm
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_Ballroom
• https://www.cantonrep.com/x363492201/Former-Moonlight-Ballroom-sold
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norumbega_Park
• https://www.townballroom.com/about/
• http://backsideofamerica.blogspot.com/2012/01/smoke-on-water.html
• https://books.google.com/books?id=GKgJNIaWn1IC&pg=PA56&lpg=PA56&dq=butterfly+ballroom+springfield,+ma&source=bl&ots=rAAvxre2y_&sig=ACfU3U1aGcGK1dfZl_nhtCFAUiowq0Z6Ug&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwihstCeh_fjAhVWYs0KHTtxAhwQ6AEwEHoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=butterfly%20ballroom%20springfield%2C%20ma&f=false
• https://books.google.com/books?id=pXbYITw4ZesC&pg=PA583&lpg=PA583&dq=madrid+ballroom+louisville&source=bl&ots=bABatQLjWh&sig=ACfU3U040ORpiy5LDARYaS3CuFW4mzcCJw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjC5ruk__jjAhVFVc0KHSLCBIoQ6AEwAnoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=madrid%20ballroom%20louisville&f=false
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savoy_Ballroom
• http://www.okjazz.org/index.cfm?id=168
• https://books.google.com/books?id=Mj7JAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA71&lpg=PA71&dq=ritz+ballroom+oklahoma+city&source=bl&ots=Ac_m-YvHSG&sig=ACfU3U3BV3Ny5710ElXAPT72TB9MWC63pA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjmjN6JqvvjAhUIHc0KHXMvDg4Q6AEwDnoECAcQAQ#v=onepage&q=ritz%20ballroom%20oklahoma%20city&f=false
• http://www.oobpier.com/history.html
• https://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2009/02/16/focus3.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roseland_Ballroom
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palomar_Ballroom
• http://www.folklib.net/index/wi/wi_dance_halls.shtml
• http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15330coll22/id/41877
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aragon_Ballroom_(Ocean_Park,_Santa_Monica,_California)
• https://web.archive.org/web/19991005040609/http://www.roselandballroom.com/histofroseland.htm
• https://books.google.com/books?id=iqjywrB33XIC&pg=PA118&lpg=PA118&dq=palace+ballroom+old+orchard+beach&source=bl&ots=qiKdmXwUcp&sig=ACfU3U3GrZEa3bdwgEGh6SN9HT3BER0AxA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjwo9TVnfnjAhX8B50JHXHeAiw4ChDoATALegQICBAB#v=onepage&q=palace%20ballroom%20old%20orchard%20beach&f=false
• https://jazzagechicago.wordpress.com/savoy-ballroom/
• http://www.kcjazzlark.com/2013/12/paseo-hall-part-1.html
• http://depanorama.net/dems/051b.htm
• https://baltimoreheritage.org/event/the-alcazar-hotel-and-the-graham-house-historic-buildings-at-the-baltimore-school-for-the-arts/
• https://www.facebook.com/pg/ballroomhistory/posts/?ref=page_internalhttp://www.grandballroomchicago.com/about.html
• https://jazzagechicago.wordpress.com/trianon-ballroom/
• https://clevelandhistorical.org/items/show/668
• https://www.kqed.org/w/bigband/halls/downtown.html
• http://archive.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/03/13/when_ballrooms_bounced/
• http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/19450
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Theatre_(Columbus,_Ohio)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trianon_Ballrooms
• https://www.pjstar.com/article/20090624/news/306249778
• https://case.edu/ech/articles/d/dance-halls
• http://www.nbea.com/archives11.htm
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aragon_Ballroom_(Chicago)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Loma_Ballroom
• http://twincitiesmusichighlights.net/tc-music-venues/
• http://www.indianapolisrecorder.com/aroundtown/article_f340f4fa-9358-11e9-bb78-9f4f3a75ee01.html
• http://chicagopatterns.com/trianon-worlds-most-beautiful-ballroom/
• http://www.pstos.org/instruments/wa/seattle/trianon.htm
• https://www.metrotimes.com/city-slang/archives/2019/06/26/jazzin-at-the-vanity-celebrates-revitalization-of-the-historic-venue-with-a-free-2-day-festival
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cain%27s_Ballroom
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elks_Tower
• https://historyharvest.unl.edu/exhibits/show/north_omaha_2011/dreamland-ballroom
• https://web6.seattle.gov/DPD/HistoricalSite/QueryResult.aspx?ID=1173268072
• https://www.historicdetroit.org/buildings/vanity-ballroom
• https://www.domu.com/chicago/neighborhoods/near-west-side/history-in-near-west-side
• https://sites.google.com/site/pittsburghmusichistory/pittsburgh-music-story/jazz/hill-district
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Ballroom_(Portland,_Oregon)
• http://vanishingstl.blogspot.com/2014/02/losing-castle-ballroom.html
• https://www.dmcommunityjazzcenter.org/Portals/0/Newsletters/STRAIGHT%20AHEAD-SPRING07.pdf
• http://stlouispatina.com/castle-ballroom-demolition/
• https://qctimes.com/news/local/so-much-nostalgia-davenport-s-historic-col-ballroom-to-close/article_926c30aa-422f-5b96-b140-67307cb6c08b.html
• https://projectrowhouses.org/space-rental
• https://pendergastkc.org/timeline/el-torreon-ballroom-opens
• https://jazzagechicago.wordpress.com/arcadia-ballroom/
• https://www.dreamlandballroom.org
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballroom
• https://kchistory.org/week-kansas-city-history/great-indoors
• https://www.dmcommunityjazzcenter.org/Portals/0/Newsletters/Spring_2013_LR.pdf
• http://www.rville.net/cp_fires_morning_call_news.html
• http://www.rville.net/central_park.htm
• https://www.riverfronttimes.com/musicblog/2012/03/28/the-castle-ballroom-an-historic-dance-hall-lies-vacant-in-midtown
• https://www.lib.uchicago.edu/media/documents/exfds-text.pdf
• https://www.artensembleofchicago.com/12-historical-jazz-clubs-in-chicago.html
• https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/xde02
• https://www.chicagomag.com/arts-culture/August-2017/The-South-Sides-Last-Remaining-Jazz-Landmarks/
• https://houstonhistorymagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/eldorado-ballroom.pdf
• https://historicdetroit.org/buildings/grande-ballroom
• http://www.casalomaballroom.com
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel_Pier
• http://preservationresearch.com/midtown/the-castle-ballroom/
• http://kcjazzhistory.kcai-sites.com/el-torrean-and-the-pla-mor/
• https://downtownshreveport.com/the-music-never-dies-the-calanthean-temples-rich-melodic-history/