(under research and construction!)

 The land was acquired from the Chickasaw Choctaw Nation in 1905 ?????.

 (Fill in the balance, when found)

 _____ 1916 - The land was transferred by the Apples, Dings and Mullen to The City of Ardmore, as shown in the Carter County Courthouse records on Page ____ and Book _____.  The apparent sales price was $10,_____ which undoubtedly had a building on it at that time, most likely Convention Hall.  This amount when adjusted for inflation equals about $________in 1998. (see note 2 below)

Circa 1920 - View of Ardmore's first Civic Auditorium, which was called Convention Hall, located at 220 West Broadway.  It was located exactly where the present Civic Auditorium is located.  The photo came from an old postcard loaned to Mac McGalliard by Elizabeth Goodnight (fruit and vegetable stand operator on Springdale Road) for Mac's column appearing in the 8-25-87 Daily Ardmoreite.  Vintage automobiles from the time period can be seen in the photo.  Part of the south and east walls of the present building were incorporated from the old building.

10-24-40 - The minutes of the Ardmore City Commission meeting may have marked the beginning of the WPA involvement in local projects.  A resolution was read by Mayor E. E. Denton and City Commissioners calling for a bond election to fund several projects: fire apparatus and equipment, enlarging and equipping the Municipal Auditorium (commonly known as Convention Hall), improving the Ardmore Airpark near Springer, repairing and extending the Carnegie Library Building, and constructing and equipping a Municipal Exhibition Building on property known as the Fair Grounds (Later to become the Coliseum). (see note 3 below)

The total amount of the bond issue is undetermined at this time.

11-26-40 - The bond issue was approved by a majority vote.  The building of the Municipal Exhibition Building, as it was first called during the planning stages, was to be a cooperative project between the Works Progress Administration (WPA).  The City of Ardmore voted $30,000 for the project.  J.B. White was the Architect.  Quinn Wicker was Mayor.  (see note 3 below) 

It is assumed that the Ardmore Auditorium was also begun at this time due to it's inclusion within the bond issue. The total amount of the bond issue attributed to the Ardmore Auditorium is undetermined at this time.  The Architect for this project is undetermined at this time.  Any information is needed to help further document this era. 

1-2-43 - During the Ardmore City Commission Meeting, it was announced that the work on the Municipal Exhibition Building (the name changed to Ardmore Exhibit Building) was 75% complete, with the total cost being $113,924 which equals $_________ when adjusted for 1998 dollars.  The WPA asked for a release on the Ardmore Auditorium and five street projects which had been completed.  (see note 3 below)

This time marks the completion of the expansion by the WPA of the Ardmore Auditorium.

The City of Ardmore operated this facility since that time.  In the 1990's the facility began to decline due to roof problems, wear and tear and the lack of air conditioning.  The name had become commonly known as the Civic Auditorium.

10-___-99 - The Ardmore Tourism Authority, a public trust, negotiated a leased of the Civic Auditorium and was granted $200,000 from the Noble Foundation in order to add air-conditioning and to modernize and expand the restrooms.  Other decorations and aesthetic improvements to display the Art Deco Period were begun.  Improvement Committee Members were Charlie Clowe (Chairman of the ATA Board and gasoline distributor), Clay Boyd (artist and sign maker), Judy Elmore (antique retailer and Main Street Chairwoman, D. Allen Wint (long time local caterer) and Chris Cowlbeck (Treasurer of the ATA Board and realtor), Chair, and Patti Harris, ATA Executive Director. (Before and after photos can be found by following the Civic Auditorium Improvements 1999/2000 link.)  (see note 4 below)

1-6-00  The Ardmore Tourism Authority voted unanimously to change the name of the auditorium to Heritage Hall to better represent the important historic role in the WPA, Great Depression and Dust Bowl eras.

Note 2:  Thanks to James Griffin, President (1999) of Carter County Abstract, who researched the Carter County records to find the deed of transferal.

Note 3:  Excerpts from an article appearing in the Daily Ardmoreite on July 19, 1987.

Note 4:  Summary of the October and November1999  minutes of the Ardmore Tourism Authority monthly meetings.