Hall of Administration, 1910

C.D. Hill (Coliseum)
George Dahl, renovation and addition, 1935

Dallas' first coliseum was constructed by the State Fair primarily for horse shows, but was also utilized for musical entertainment throughout the year.  Its location along the front boundary of the fairgrounds, immediately inside the front gate, allowed access from both inside the park during fair time, as well as direct access from Parry Avenue. In 1935, Dahl renovated the Coliseum into the Centennial Exposition's administration building by removing the original porticos and applying a new Art Deco façade on its south face.  The central arched opening of this elevation contains a mural by Carlo Ciampaglia as backdrop to Raoul Josset's sculpture, the Spirit of the Centennial.  The building is currently being renovated as the Women's Museum: An Institute for the Future, by F&S Partners and Wendy Evans Joseph of New York.  Adjacent to the Hall of Administration is the D.A.R. Building, originally designed by M.C. Kleuser-in yet another Dallas attempt at Mount Vernon-as the Conoco Travel Bureau Hospitality House.

Credits: Excerpts taken from The American Institute of Architects Guide to Dallas Architecture, published in 1999 by the American Institute of Architects, Dallas Chapter. The editor of this book was Larry Paul Fuller. The Fair Park Introduction and entries were written by Willis Winters, AIA.

Permission to publish these excerpts was granted by The American Institute of Architects, Dallas Chapter, in October 2002.