Convention Hall - Kansas City, Mo.
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iconions
N 39° 05.932 W 094° 35.206
15S E 362786 N 4328946
This marker is on 13th Street, just east of Central Avenue. It is just off the sidewalk on the northside of the street.
Waymark Code: WMDE08
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 12/31/2011
Views: 6
From Wikipedia:
(
visit link)
The 1900 Democratic National Convention was a United States presidential nominating convention that took place the week of July 4, 1900 at Convention Hall in Kansas City, Missouri. The convention nominated William Jennings Bryan for President and Adlai E. Stevenson for Vice President. The ticket was to lose the general election to the Republican ticket of William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt.
Bryan had little opposition for the nomination after Spanish-American War hero Admiral George Dewey dropped out in May after being quoted in newspapers that he thought the President's job would be easy, because the president merely followed the orders of Congress to enforce laws.
Bryan's strongest opposition at the convention came from Richard Croker of New York's Tammany Hall. The convention marked the first time that a member of royalty attended a U.S. national nominating convention as a delegate. David Kawananakoa, heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawaii, represented the newest United States territory. Prince David was to break a tie about inserting a free silver plank into the convention platform. The Democrats included planks in the platform denouncing Republican imperialism and expansion, as had been demonstrated in the Spanish-American War.
Kansas City had the convention thanks to its new Convention Hall, which opened on February 22, 1899. The hall was destroyed in a fire on April 4, 1900, but was rebuilt in 90 days in time for the convention. Harry S. Truman served as a page at the convention.
Text of the marker:
Kansas City’s expression of service and hospitality has a rich historical heritage starting in 1899, when the original convention hall opened with a concert by John Philip Sousa and his band. The success of the hall was proven when the Democratic National Convention was scheduled for the next year. Tragedy struck just three months before the opening of the convention when the hall burned to the ground. News was flashed across the country that Convention Hall was in flames, and it was assumed that Kansas City would have to abandon all thoughts of entertaining the Democratic National Convention. Other cities renewed their efforts for the honor of hosting the convention. However, the legendary Kansas City spirit rallied to the cause and rebuilt a larger and better convention hall in only ninety days and opened on July 4, 1900, with the Democratic National Convention, at which time William Jennings Bryan was nominated to the presidency. The hall was the scene of many triumphs; Adeline Patti sang to a packed house and Paderewski played to his largest audience. People of national repute addressed great gatherings in Convention Hall. The Priests of Pallas held its festival in the hall, in addition to many society and public gatherings. During the great flood of 1903, the hall was opened as a place of refuge for those driven by rising waters from their homes, and served as headquarters for the the relief committee. During the 1930's Kansas City again recognized its position as one of the most important convention cities in the Unitied States and constructed a greater and larger convention facility, the present Municipal Auditorium; and again in the 1970’s the H. Roe Bartle Exposition Hall. This commemorative plaque is in recognition of Kansas City’s Traditional spirit to serve its citizens and visitors.