Editing Chicago Coliseum (section)

{{short description|Arena in Illinois, United States}}
{{about|the indoor arenas in Chicago|the theatre in Chicago known as the Coliseum|Grand Opera House (Chicago)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
[[File:ColiseumChicagoGeoRLawrenceExterior.jpg|thumb|300px|Exterior of the third Chicago Coliseum]]
[[File:Chicago Coliseum.jpg|thumb|300px|The third Chicago Coliseum during the 1904 RNC]]

'''Chicago Coliseum''' was the name applied to three large indoor arenas, which stood at various times in [[Chicago, Illinois]], from the 1860s to 1982. They served as venues for large national conventions, exhibition halls,  sports events, and entertainment.

The first Coliseum stood at State and Washington streets in Chicago's downtown in the late 1860s.<ref name=Pruter>{{cite journal| first=Robert| last=Pruter| title=Chicago's Other Coliseum| journal=Chicago History Magazine| url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267025820| date=Spring 2012| pages=44–65}}</ref> The second venue was located at 63rd Street near Stony Island Avenue in the south side's [[Woodlawn, Chicago|Woodlawn]] community (near the site of the 1893 World's Fair). It hosted the [[1896 Democratic National Convention]] (known for the [[Cross of gold speech|"Cross of Gold"]] speech), and several early [[indoor American football]] games.  After hosting a notable convention for the then new and growing [[bicycle]] industry, it burned a few months later.

The third Chicago Coliseum was located at Wabash Avenue near 15th Street on the [[Near South Side, Chicago|near south side]]. It hosted five consecutive [[Republican National Convention]]s, ([[1904 Republican National Convention|1904]], [[1908 Republican National Convention|1908]], [[1912 Republican National Convention|1912]], [[1916 Republican National Convention|1916]], [[1920 Republican National Convention|1920]]) and the [[Progressive Party (United States, 1912)|Progressive Party]] National Convention in [[1912 Progressive National Convention|1912]] and [[1916 Progressive National Convention|1916]]. It also hosted the [[Lincoln Jubilee]] in 1915. In the 1920s, it became a popular professional ice hockey venue, and hosted the worlds first [[roller derby]], during the [[Great Depression]]. In the 1950s to early 1970s, the Coliseum served as a general admission venue for rock concerts, roller derbys, and professional wrestling matches. Generally closed in 1971, it was sold for redevelopment in 1982; however, portions of the building remained standing until the early 1990s.<ref name=demo>{{cite news| title=Coliseum razing gets green light| last=McCarron| first=John| work=[[Chicago Tribune]]| url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1981/12/08/page/13/article/coliseum-razing-gets-green-light| date=December 8, 1981| access-date=2016-02-03}}</ref>  The Coliseum is commemorated in a public park named in its honor, across from its last site.