DAR Constitution Hall is a concert hall located at 1776 D Street NW, near the White House in Washington, D.C. It was built in 1929 by the Daughters of the American Revolution to house its annual convention when membership delegations outgrew Memorial Continental Hall. Later, the two buildings were connected by a third structure housing the DAR Museum, administrative offices, and genealogical library. DAR Constitution Hall is still owned and operated by the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1985.[2] It has been a major cultural center of the city since its construction, and houses its largest auditorium.[3]
The hall was designed by architect John Russell Pope and is located at 1776 D Street NW, just east of the Department of the Interior, between the American Red Cross and the Organization of American States, across from the Ellipse in front of the White House. The hall seats 3,702, with 2,208 in the tiers and 1,234 on the orchestra level. Additionally, 52 boxes (containing five seats each) separate the orchestra from the tiers, including one Presidential box.[3]
The Hall is a Neoclassical style structure, faced with Alabamalimestone and houses the largest auditorium in Washington. This auditorium is unusual with its U-shaped balcony, necessary to provide the enormous amount of seating required by the program while retaining practical sight distances. The auditorium holds a three-manual, 40 rank Skinnerpipe organ, Opus number 757.[3][4]
History
An event being held in the hall in 1930.
From 1930 until the opening of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 1971, Constitution Hall was home to the National Symphony Orchestra and the city's principal venue for touring classical music soloists and orchestras. Some of the earliest mainstream country music concerts were also held there, organized by Connie B. Gay. The National Geographic Society presented sold-out film lectures, filling the hall for many decades, three evenings a week until about 1990 when they moved to the National Geographic theater near 16th and M Streets, NW. The free Air Force Band Sunday concerts, featuring famous guest artists, are popular, as is the band's special Christmas gala show.
In 1939, the DAR denied African-American singer Marian Anderson the opportunity to sing at the Hall, causing First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to resign her membership in protest. Instead, Anderson performed (with the aid of Eleanor Roosevelt and her husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt) a critically acclaimed open-air concert on Easter Sunday, April 9, 1939, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. She sang before a crowd of more than 75,000 people and a radio audience in the millions. In 1941, Paul Robeson was also blocked from performing at Constitution Hall on the grounds of his race. The organization would later reverse its racial exclusion policy and Anderson performed at Constitution Hall for an American Red Cross war relief benefit in 1943; in 1964, she chose it as the first venue of her farewell concert tour.[3]
^ ab. National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on 2012-10-10. Retrieved 2009-05-11.
^ abcdSomerville, Mollie (January 8, 1985). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination: Constitution Hall". National Park Service. from the original on 2020-07-28. Retrieved 2009-05-11.
^"Washington, DC-Constitution Hall". Æolian-Skinner Archives. from the original on 2014-05-17. Retrieved 2014-07-11.
^"DAR Constitution Hall History". DAR. from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2014-07-11.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to DAR Constitution Hall.
DAR Constitution Hall
DAR Constitution Hall on Google Street View
March 29, 2023
constitution, hall, constitution, hall, redirects, here, other, buildings, constitution, hall, disambiguation, concert, hall, located, 1776, street, near, white, house, washington, built, 1929, daughters, american, revolution, house, annual, convention, when, . Constitution Hall redirects here For other buildings see Constitution Hall disambiguation DAR Constitution Hall is a concert hall located at 1776 D Street NW near the White House in Washington D C It was built in 1929 by the Daughters of the American Revolution to house its annual convention when membership delegations outgrew Memorial Continental Hall Later the two buildings were connected by a third structure housing the DAR Museum administrative offices and genealogical library DAR Constitution Hall is still owned and operated by the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1985 2 It has been a major cultural center of the city since its construction and houses its largest auditorium 3 DAR Constitution HallU S National Register of Historic PlacesU S National Historic LandmarkDAR Constitution Hall in 2008Show map of Central Washington D C Show map of the District of ColumbiaShow map of the United StatesLocation1776 D Street NWWashington D C Coordinates38 53 38 N 77 2 28 W 38 89389 N 77 04111 W 38 89389 77 04111 Coordinates 38 53 38 N 77 2 28 W 38 89389 N 77 04111 W 38 89389 77 04111Built1929ArchitectJohn Russell PopeArchitectural styleClassical RevivalNRHP reference No 85002724Significant datesAdded to NRHPSeptember 16 1985 1 Designated NHLSeptember 16 1985 2 Contents 1 Description 2 History 3 Events 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksDescription Edit Memorial Continental Hall in the early 1900s The hall was designed by architect John Russell Pope and is located at 1776 D Street NW just east of the Department of the Interior between the American Red Cross and the Organization of American States across from the Ellipse in front of the White House The hall seats 3 702 with 2 208 in the tiers and 1 234 on the orchestra level Additionally 52 boxes containing five seats each separate the orchestra from the tiers including one Presidential box 3 The Hall is a Neoclassical style structure faced with Alabama limestone and houses the largest auditorium in Washington This auditorium is unusual with its U shaped balcony necessary to provide the enormous amount of seating required by the program while retaining practical sight distances The auditorium holds a three manual 40 rank Skinner pipe organ Opus number 757 3 4 History Edit An event being held in the hall in 1930 From 1930 until the opening of the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 1971 Constitution Hall was home to the National Symphony Orchestra and the city s principal venue for touring classical music soloists and orchestras Some of the earliest mainstream country music concerts were also held there organized by Connie B Gay The National Geographic Society presented sold out film lectures filling the hall for many decades three evenings a week until about 1990 when they moved to the National Geographic theater near 16th and M Streets NW The free Air Force Band Sunday concerts featuring famous guest artists are popular as is the band s special Christmas gala show In 1939 the DAR denied African American singer Marian Anderson the opportunity to sing at the Hall causing First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to resign her membership in protest Instead Anderson performed with the aid of Eleanor Roosevelt and her husband President Franklin D Roosevelt a critically acclaimed open air concert on Easter Sunday April 9 1939 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D C She sang before a crowd of more than 75 000 people and a radio audience in the millions In 1941 Paul Robeson was also blocked from performing at Constitution Hall on the grounds of his race The organization would later reverse its racial exclusion policy and Anderson performed at Constitution Hall for an American Red Cross war relief benefit in 1943 in 1964 she chose it as the first venue of her farewell concert tour 3 The United States Navy Band performing in DAR Constitution Hall in 2001 Every U S president since Calvin Coolidge has attended at least one event at the theater 5 Events EditThe Hall is used for concerts school commencements conferences corporate meetings televised events and other performances The Hall hosted the 1939 premiere of Mr Smith Goes to Washington and was the recording site for Eddie Murphy Delirious in 1983 John Denver s Christmas In Concert in 1996 Whitney Houston s Classic Whitney concerts in 1997 Martin Lawrence Live Runteldat in 2002 Chris Rock s HBO special and album Never Scared in 2004 and Robin Williams HBO special Weapons of Self Destruction in 2009 It has hosted tapings of TV game shows Jeopardy in 1997 2004 2012 and 2016 Wheel of Fortune in 2000 and 2001 the newscast Buletin Utama in 2000 and the 2004 2005 2007 and 2008 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group See also EditList of concert halls List of National Historic Landmarks in Washington D C References Edit National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service March 13 2009 a b Constitution Hall National Historic Landmark summary listing National Park Service Archived from the original on 2012 10 10 Retrieved 2009 05 11 a b c d Somerville Mollie January 8 1985 National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Constitution Hall National Park Service Archived from the original on 2020 07 28 Retrieved 2009 05 11 Washington DC Constitution Hall AEolian Skinner Archives Archived from the original on 2014 05 17 Retrieved 2014 07 11 DAR Constitution Hall History DAR Archived from the original on 2014 07 14 Retrieved 2014 07 11 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to DAR Constitution Hall DAR Constitution Hall DAR Constitution Hall on Google Street View Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title DAR Constitution Hall amp oldid 1147162427, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
