Community Spotlight: Memorial Hall

05/27/2022

Community Spotlight: Memorial Hall

 

 

Memorial Hall has been a landmark in Circleville since it was built in the 1890s. In 1880, the Soldiers Monumental Association began their quest to raise money to construct Memorial Hall. The Association was comprised of Civil War veterans, and the hall was to be a monument, a memorial to those lost in the war. According to an undated article from the Circleville Herald, “Pickaway County was one of the largest contributors of soldiers in the Civil War.” In addition to their funds, the City of Circleville put $25,000 in bonds toward the construction of the hall at the corner of Pickaway and Main Street.

 

Memorial Hall, 1909

The military significance of Memorial Hall has never been lost. The Soldiers Monumental Association still calls Memorial Hall home, where they work “to preserve the memory of our local veterans and local military history.”

In addition to this rich military history, Memorial Hall has been embraced by the community in a variety of other ways.

One of the most prominent local entities to occupy the building was the Pickaway County Public Library, located in the Hall until it moved to its current home on North Court Street. According to a Circleville Herald article written by Jeanne Bach and dated February 1970, “[Memorial Hall] was once THE gathering place,” hosting everything from proms to cooking schools to political rallies. It has seen weddings, community events, and historical exhibits, as well as The Teen Canteen, an after-school program for students.

 

 Informational Christmas Card, 1989

 

The building is Richardsonian Romanesque in style, and one of its grandest features is its auditorium. It is also notably the home of Roundtown Players.

Roundtown Players put on their first production in 1967 and moved into the space at Memorial Hall shortly thereafter, where they’ve stayed ever since. “The best part of working in the building is the sense of community we feel just stepping into it,” says Justin Atkinson, local history enthusiast and current President of Roundtown Players. “Knowing that we are a part of an organization that has helped the community laugh and contemplate the important truths of life through theater is deeply rewarding.”

Atkinson adds, “We’ve had three weddings and one funeral. All we’re waiting on now is a birth!”

Another wing of the building is currently inhabited by the YMCA Creative Arts Center, teaching dance, art, baton, and theater classes to students ages 2-18 in an inclusive community environment.

For a building that is over 130 years old, it certainly still full of life!

As one historian says, “Memorial Hall, erected as a Soldiers’ Monument [over] a century ago, for those who served in the Civil War, stands today as an edifice of the county’s historical heritage.” The building is a patchwork quilt, stitched lovingly together by the many citizens and community groups who have made it what it is today—a memorial and a monument, to those who have served country, county, and their fellow citizen.

 


 

Roundtown Players, the Soldiers Monumental Association, and the Creative Arts Center are all active parts of the Pickaway County community! If you would like to support them, visit:

Soldiers Monumental Association: www.soldiersmonumental.org

Roundtown Players: www.roundtownplayers.org

YMCA Creative Arts Center: https://www.facebook.com/YMCAcreativeartscenter/

 


 

Sources:

Bach, Jeanne, “Roundtown Players Transplant New Life into Memorial Hall Auditorium”, Circleville Herald, February 1970

“Building Has Long History,” Circleville Herald, Date and Author Unknown

Mission Statement, The Soldiers Monumental Association, http://www.soldiersmonumental.org, Acc. May 26, 2022

Unknown Author, 1989, Informational Christmas Card, Pictured Above

A special thank-you to Justin Atkinson for assistance with photos, research, articles, and more!

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