Neosho Auditorium

Neosho Auditorium

Located at 109 West Main Street Built in 1938, the Neosho Auditorium is a two-story concrete, six-bay, Art Deco public building. The building has a concrete foundation, flat roof of rolled roofing and exterior concrete panels. On the main (N) façade are five sets of double doors. Above the doors are chevron panels and vertical fluted panels. Windows are four-light hopper design. In the second story central bay the window openings have structural glass blocks. At the roofline is concrete zig-zag molding. Located to the east and west of the main section are original one-story wings with single-light glass doors and four-light hopper windows. Inscribed on the main façade is “Neosho Auditorium City Hall.”

The building was designed by St. Louis architect Neal C. Davis, a native of Newton County, who also designed the Newton County Courthouse. The building was financed by the Work Projects Administration, project #1302DC. Edward and Charles Haas donated $15,000 to the project. The citizens of Neosho voted bonds of $40,000 and the U.S. Government matched with $40,000. Edward Haas also donated 100 books to the library, which was located in the building. The building is a good example of Art Deco public buildings of the 1930’s.

(Bricks and Boards, Stone and Mortar: 1991 Neosho Historical Building Survey by the Neosho Historic Preservation Committee 1995)