McGowan Hall is a community and event center located in the Old Northside neighborhood of Indy. McGowan Hall was built in 1922 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
I had the chance to visit McGowan Hall recently for a local memorial event. It's a unique setting that immediately made me curious about its history.
The grounds originally had a Romanesque chateau completed in 1874. The home was designed by noted architect William LeBaron Jenney, who helped rebuild Chicago after the fire of 1871. Neighbors included president Benjamin Harrison and best selling hoosier author Meredith Nicholson. Subsequent owner of the chateau mansion, Dr. Horace Allen, hosted a party for Levi Morton of New York, who would become Benjamin Harrison's vice-presidential running mate. Harrison's home was not large enough to accommodate the affair.
The home was acquired by Hugh J. McGowan, a railway magnate, in 1903. He lived there until his death in 1911. His daughters were known to perform amateur plays with Booth Tarkington in the 3rd floor ballroom. The McGowan family stayed in the home until 1919 when Mrs. McGowan sold the property to the Knights of Columbus (Hugh McGowan had been a member).
Finally, in 1922, McGowan Hall was built and adjoined the home. The hall featured a 90'x60' ballroom with balcony seating and a stage. Downstairs had meeting area, billiard, shower, and cloak rooms. The hall hosted the first Knights of Columbus Council in Indiana (Mater Dei Knights of Columbus Council #437). To this day, they meet in the hall.
In 1963, the home was torn down. However, the hall remained. The hall continues to host a wide variety of community, charitable, and civic events including theatre productions, fundraisers, high school dances, holiday parties, workshops, AA/NA meetings, neighborhood gatherings, and more.
You can rent the Grand Hall (5,000sf of floor space), Council Room (seats up to 120), and an incredible, very vintage lounge that can easily seat 50.
While McGowan Hall has some accessibility issues, typical for historic landmarks, there is an accessible entrance to the Grand Hall (550 capacity, around 400 with seating/tables).
This is a solid mid-sized venue that I think often gets overlooked here in Indy. It's a beautiful facility, though anyone with accessibility needs should be sure to mention that before renting to ensure the need can be met. For attending a Grand Hall event, I had no issues. However, other areas would definitely have some challenges read more