Dancing in St. Louis 1927 - 1940

Originally posted February 21, 2005, updated July 19, 2008

The Arcadia Ballroom, just a little east of Grand on Olive, was a well known dance palace. Located at 3517 Olive Street, it was erected about 1920. It was a stronghold of the top jazz bands of the twenties and thirties, was later converted into a bowling alley and was razed in 1966 and its site became a parking lot.

The New Cinderella Ballroom opened in 1927 at the northeast corner of Cherikee and Iowa.

For the first eight years the Cinderella Ballroom went through many managers, none able to avoid financial loss.  It wasn't until 1935, when partners Art Kawell and Nap Burien took over under the name of the Casa Loma Ballroom did this facility become the premier ballroom in St. Louis.

A strong German  social and civic influence in the area, the North St. Louis Turnverein had been organized in 1870.  They bought the site at Twentieth and Salisbury and occupied their first building, designed by H. W. Kirchner in 1879. A three story addition on Twentieth Street was completed in 1893 followed by the gymnasium in 1898.

The Sacred Heart Hall at 25th and St. Louis Ave. was obviously associated with the church of the same name at 23rd and University.

Not to be outdone, the Polish-American Hall at 1940 Cass Avenue also began to hold dances in 1928.

Another dance hall, called the New Manion's Park, came on the scene in 1929.  It was located at 8614 South Broadway.  I could find no reference to this facility.

"The New Big Club Ballroom" at 5204 Shaw had a dance in 1930.

Notice how all the  dance halls in St. Louis seems to have the word "New" in front of them.  Here, in March of 1930, is a ad from the Bellrieves "Nap and Art"  for a dance at the New Concordia Ball Room at 13th and Arsenal Streets.  Five years later that same Art and Nap began the Casa Loma Ballroom that is still the finest ballroom in St. Louis.

And not far away was the "New Croatian Hall" at 12th and Russell.

Another ad, this time in 1931, for the North St. Louis Turner Hall.

This ad  featured  a strange name for a St. Louis dancing venue: The Chicago Dance Palace at 2914 S. Jefferson Ave.

By 1932 the Concordia Ballroom at 13th and Arsenal was no longer "new".

Holy Trinity Hall at 1420 Mallinckrodt  came on the scene in 1932.  Presumably the church hall of Holy Trinity parish at 3519 N. 14th Street.

And then popped up the "New Slovenian Hall" at 3331 South Seventh. in 1932.

The North St. Louis Turner Hall was quite busy in 1932.  This is but one of five ads Sandra Kieffer has for the year.

The Polish American Hall was still around in 1932.

Another dance hall appeared in 1932 called the South-west Turners Hall at Ohio and Potomac.

St. George's Catholic Church began to have dances at their hall in 1932.  The Afton parish started in 1915, with the church located at 4980 Heege Road.

Here's an ad for a dance at the Jewish Old Folks Home Ballroom located at Blair and East Grand in 1933.

Another ballroom on Iowa was called the New Swiss Ballroom in 1933.  It was on Arsenal Street.

Another Catholic Church Hall got into the dancing business in 1933.  Here's an ad for St. Augustine's Hall.  This was my mother's parish in 1933, and she met my dad standing in front of his Texaco Service Station that was two blocks from the church.  Can't help but feel that they went to this dance.

Finally, 1935 heralded the start of something big.  Here's the ad that began the Casa Loma legend.

After the fire of January  1940, the Casa Loma as we know it today was completely rebuilt and  reopened in November of that  year.