Coliseum Building History

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[News article—January 2, 1923]

“The new Coliseum opened with an informal dancing party on last Friday evening, attended by one of the largest crowds ever seen at a dance in this section. Had the weather been good the floor space would not have been sufficient to accommodate the crowd. Music for the dance was furnished by the Ray-A-Wyle five piece orchestra of Rockford and was extra good. Every night this week there will be roller skating in the place from 7 to 9:30 and dancing from 9:30 until 1:00 Music by Elliotts’s orchestra. Everyone invited. Messrs. Fearer and Mead have provided a most modern and up-to-date amusement and recreation place, which is deserving of liberal patronage.”
 

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The coliseum replaced the home and barn of attorney E. F. Dutcher. He moved to Oregon in 1846 where he practiced law.
 
“The city fathers built the Coliseum to provide an activity center in 1923 for $27,000. Through the years this has been used for suppers, basketball games, dances, plays, roller skating, flower shows, recitals, proms, American Legion Carnivals, medicine shows, Bee Keeper meetings, grange, physical education classes of the Oregon Schools and many other civic events.”
 
Researched and written by Otto Dick, local historian, for CMAAA.