Opened in 1910 as a combination dance hall and skating rink, the Arcadia Ballroom, situated along the west side of Broadway just north of Montrose Avenue, was one of the Uptown district's best known entertainment destinations. During the 1920s, the ballroom became one of the city's most popular dance establishments and stood as one of the few places in the city where white audiences regularly danced to the music of all-black jazz bands. The driving force behind the Arcadia's popularity, particularly during the late 1910s and 1920s, was sports and dance promoter Paddy Harmon, whose interests included the Dreamland Ballroom and Chicago Stadium on the near west side.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Arcadia Ballroom History
Opened in 1910 as a combination dance hall and skating rink, the Arcadia Ballroom, situated along the west side of Broadway just north of Montrose Avenue, was one of the Uptown district's best known entertainment destinations. During the 1920s, the ballroom became one of the city's most popular dance establishments and stood as one of the few places in the city where white audiences regularly danced to the music of all-black jazz bands. The driving force behind the Arcadia's popularity, particularly during the late 1910s and 1920s, was sports and dance promoter Paddy Harmon, whose interests included the Dreamland Ballroom and Chicago Stadium on the near west side.
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Does anyone else have any background on the Arcadia? We are guessing it stood where the Azusa Building now stands. Is that correct?
ReplyDeleteI don't know anything about the Arcadia, but am loving these bits about old Uptown, including the Somerset Hotel one you just put up. Always fun to learn cool old stuff about your neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteWell judging from the Uptown Historical Map in the .pdf above, the Arcadia stood just about where the old aldi currently stands.
ReplyDeleteWhen the Arcadia burned, the Roller Derby had been playing there, because the Chicago Coliseum was booked.The banked track, skates, and skaters' uniforms were all lost.
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