Chicago Coliseum

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Lore & Background

The third Chicago Coliseum was built in 1899 by candy manufacturer Charles F. Gunther, who incorporated a wall from Libby Prison into its structure after dismantling the Confederate prison museum piece by railroad car. This venue became a political and cultural juggernaut, hosting the Progressive Party National Convention in both 1912 and 1916 alongside five straight Republican conventions. In 1935, promoter Leo Seltzer staged the world's first Roller Derby here during the Great Depression, drawing over 20,000 spectators to a venue that had previously hosted the Lincoln Jubilee in 1915 and the American Negro Exposition in 1940. The arena also served as a radio training school for the army during World War II before transitioning into a hub for professional ice hockey with the Chicago Black Hawks from 1926 to 1929.

In Their Own Story

On November 20, 1932, Canadiens superstar Howie Morenz scored the last NHL goal at the Coliseum, assisted by Aurel Joliat and Johnny Gagnon, as the Black Hawks defeated Montreal 2–1 in their final game on the venue's ice. The following year, the arena saw a shift in energy when Leo Seltzer introduced roller derby to combat Depression-era boredom, filling the space with 20,000 fans for the inaugural event. In the late 1960s, the Coliseum hosted civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who addressed a 5,000-person rally on March 25, 1967, marking his first public speech against the Vietnam War. The venue also hosted the last convention of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) in June 1969, cementing its role as a gathering place for radical and mainstream movements alike before closing in 1971.

Reader's Guide

For historical research or site visits, it is crucial to distinguish between the three Coliseums. The second venue, located at 63rd Street near Stony Island Avenue in Woodlawn, hosted the 1896 Democratic National Convention where William Jennings Bryan delivered his famous 'Cross of Gold' speech; this building burned down on December 24, 1897, after only 19 months due to faulty wiring. The third and most enduring Coliseum stood at 1513 South Wabash Avenue near 15th Street. It hosted professional ice hockey for the Chicago Black Hawks (1926–1929) and the Chicago Shamrocks, as well as the Chicago Cardinals/Americans of the American Hockey Association. In the NBA era, it briefly housed the Chicago Zephyrs (formerly Packers) in 1962 before they moved to Baltimore. The building was sold for redevelopment in 1982, though demolition dragged into the early 1990s.

Did You Know?

• The second Coliseum was twice as large as Madison Square Garden and supported by 12 massive arches that fell like dominoes during the 1897 fire.
• The third Coliseum incorporated a section of Libby Prison, dismantled from Richmond, Virginia, and shipped to Chicago on 132 railroad cars.
• Howie Morenz scored the final NHL goal at the Coliseum on November 20, 1932, assisted by Aurel Joliat and Johnny Gagnon.
• The world's first Roller Derby was staged at the third Coliseum in 1935 by promoter Leo Seltzer to combat Depression-era boredom.
• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his first public speech against the Vietnam War at the Coliseum on March 25, 1967.