Edinburg WPA Auditorium explained

Edinburg WPA Auditorium
Location:67 Main St.
Edinburg, North Dakota
Coordinates:48.4958°N -97.8642°W
Built:1938
Architect:Theodore B. Wells
Architecture:Art Deco
Added:November 7, 2013
Area:less than one acre
Refnum:13000863

The Edinburg WPA Auditorium is a historic auditorium building at 67 Main Street in Edinburg, North Dakota. The Art Deco structure was built in 1938 as part of the Works Progress Administration jobs program. It is a wood-frame building two stories high, sheathed in boards to which a stucco finish has been applied. There is a central projecting section on the front facade. The upper level is a large open space which was usable for a variety of social and recreational activities, and features a well-preserved sprung wooden basketball surface, decorated with the names and logos of area high school basketball teams. The lower level was originally a utility space. The upper part of the building was originally accessed via external stairs, but these were removed in 1990, and the building's entrance was reconfigured to have split-level stairs providing access to both upper and lower levels.[1]

The building was used as a local social center through the middle decades of the 20th century, with rollerskating being a popular pastime, and is now occupied by a hardware store.[1] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NRHP nomination for Edinburg WPA Auditorium. National Park Service. 2014-01-15.