Endangered:

Conventional Hall

At the turn of the century, Huchinson was quickly growing. As the county seat, it was necessary that a convention center would need to be built to further business interests in the area. President Taft was invited to lay the cornerstone to the Convention Hall in 1911. The hall is actually built on a bridge and pier system as it actually straddles Cow Creek. There is access to the creek in the lower levels of the Hall. In 1912, Convention Hall opened. In it’s 110 year history countless shows have been produced here. County wide school graduation ceremonies have been performed here. Until the 1950s, many city offices were operated in this building. In the late 1990s, the Hall underwent a major renovation to bring it up to modern standards and the name was changed to Memorial Hall. On the North side of the building above the double doors “Convention Hall” can still be made out. In 2011, a time capsule placed in the cornerstone was removed and opened at the Reno County Museum to much press coverage.