Breaking News
Historic Coliseum Ballroom Destroyed by Fire
The storied entertainment venue that once hosted the likes of Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington and Fats Domino was destroyed by a fire that broke out about 9 p.m., Saturday, July 30.
Community Unit 7 Fire Protection District Chief Larry Norville said local fire departments were called shortly after 9 p.m. The first units arrived on the scene about 9:20 p.m., at which time the ceiling was fully inflamed. As many as 16 fire departments from throughout the region eventually responded to the blaze, many of them serving as tenders to bring water to service pumper trucks and two snorkels on the front lines of the battle.
The Coliseum was the scene of a free concert Saturday night featuring the local band, Shadow of a Doubt. Thirty or more people were in the building with flames reportedly erupted in the ceiling. Norville said initial indications were that the fire started in the ceiling in the northeast corner of the building. At least one person was taken by ambulance to a hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation and minor burns. Two others were taken by private vehicle, apparently for treatment of smoke inhalation. Norville said some people inside the building feared they would be unable to escape the blaze when the fire broke out as burning ceiling tiles began to rain down at the front of the building as they were trying to exit.
Soon after fire departments arrived on the scene, the blaze reached the roof of the massive structure. The roof contained 6 layers of tar. According to Norville, the roof collapse was a critical moment for the firefighters. When the arched roof collapsed, he said, it put pressure on the side walls of the structure. The thick brick walls of the 90-year-old building, however, remained standing, as did the iconic front of the building with its classic neon sign.
Built by Dominic Tarro in 1924 at a cost of $50,000, the Coliseum boasted of having the largest dance floor (10,000 square feet) between St. Louis and Chicago. In its heydey, the Coliseum attracted some of the biggest names in show business to entertain crowds of up to 2,000 on the weekends. During the week, the building did double duty as a roller skating rink. Tarro reportedly was heavily involved in bootlegging in the 1920s. In October 1929, he was indicted by the federal court for allegedly distributing supplies, including corn syrup and yeast, to bootlegging concerns in Macoupin and Montgomery counties. Amid rumors that Tarro had agreed to turn state’s evidence, Tarro disappeared. His partially burned and bullet-ridden vehicle was found along a road near Mason City on Jan. 20, 1930. His partially decomposed body, bound with wire, was recovered May 2, 1930, from the Sangamon River.
The Tarro family continued to operate the Coliseum. In the 1970s, Dominic’s daughter, Joyce Tarro, ran the business. She was shot to death at her home by a band of robbers who stole that night’s receipts from the Coliseum. Two men and one woman were arrested in Colorado and were returned to Macoupin County, where they were later convicted of murdering Tarro. Some sources say movie actor John Wayne, who owned a farm in nearby Greene County, was a frequent visitor to the ballroom in the 1940s.
In recent years, the building has had a succession of owners and has been used primarily as an antiques mall. In 2001, the building was inducted as an Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame site. Located on Illinois Route 4, which was the 1926-1930 alignment of Old Route 66, the building annually attracted Route 66 enthusiasts from all over the world, who often stopped to photograph the famous building.
Norville expressed gratitude for the cooperation of neighboring fire departments that lent mutual aid in battling the fire. Upward of 150 firefighters were on scene for several hours. There were no reported injuries among firefighters, according to Norville.
Randy’s Market in Benld reportedly opened its doors and donated bottled water to keep firefighters hydrated while fighting the fire. Veschek’s Bakery of Benld also brought donuts to the guys for an early morning treat.
To see more pictures of the Coliseum Ballroom, click here!
More details and photos will appear in this week’s issue of the South County News.
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Another major winter storm is forecasted to blanket the BenGil area in heavy rains, flooding and snowfall starting Wednesday night through Thursday.
The mixture of precipitation and rapidly changing weather likely will produce the potential for sudden icing on roads, with high winds leading to blowing snow and reduced visibility.
“The Illinois Department of Transportation’s snow-and-ice teams will be prepared and out in force, but the public needs to be ready for conditions to change quickly and worsen if they are out on the roads,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “As always during periods of extreme weather, the safest option is to postpone any unnecessary trips and stay home. If you must travel, prepare for very slow and potentially hazardous conditions. And please slow down around our plows and other emergency vehicles, giving them plenty of room to do their jobs.”
The National Weather Service is predicting a wintry mix of precipitation to start with thunderstorms and heavy rain in much of the state this evening, converting to freezing rain overnight before turning to snow Thursday morning. In addition to localized flooding, ice and sleet accumulations are likely, creating extremely slippery surfaces and slick conditions.
Due to the rainy conditions ahead of temperatures falling overnight, the effectiveness of pretreating and salting surfaces in advance of significant snowfall will be limited. The public should anticipate icy conditions even when roads appear clear and greatly reduce speeds.
“As the Illinois State Police plans to take on the unpredictable Illinois weather, we would like to remind motorists to do their part in keeping the roads a safe place,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly. “ISP, alongside IDOT and other agencies, will be working in hazardous weather conditions. Please remember to slow down, stay vigilant and move over for ANY vehicle on the side of the road.”
Statewide, IDOT has available more than 1,800 trucks and equipment to plow, treat roads and respond to weather emergencies. If you encounter a plow or any maintenance vehicle during your travels, please slow down, increase your following distance and remain patient. Do not attempt to pass – conditions in front of the plow will be worse than behind it.
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Police are investigating the death of a Bunker Hill woman who was found dead at the end of her driveway near the roadway on Monday morning, January 31.
Nancy Blycker, 91, had multiple injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. The Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call to the 2900 block of Wood Hill Lane around 7:40 a.m. on Monday.
The initial suspicion was homicide, according to a release by the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis who said approximately 20 investigators were working the investigation, but the autopsy contradicted that suspicion.
The Major Case Squad said on Tuesday it is “highly unlikely” Blycker’s death was the “result of homicidal means.”
The Major Case Squad turned the case back over to the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department. The official cause of death is pending further lab analysis.
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The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the BenGil area, southwestern Illinois, and the St. Louis area.
The warning was issued early Tuesday taking effect at midnight tonight until noon on Thursday, February 3 calling for a “wet, heavy” snow. The forecast also calls for ice prompting a warning about possible power outages.
“All indications continue to point to a disruptive, impactful, and dangerous winter storm impacting the region starting late tonight and lasting through Thursday night,” the National Weather Service said in its Area Forecast Discussion.
The BenGil area is expected to receive heavy mixed precipitation including snow accumulations between 6 and 10 inches, sleet accumulations around three-quarters of an inch, and ice accumulations around two-tenths of an inch. Wind gusts will be as high as 35 mph on Thursday.
The storm is expected to start with rain most of the day today before transitioning into a mixture of freezing rain and/or sleet Tuesday night, then all snow Wednesday morning or as late as Wednesday afternoon continuing until about noon on Thursday.
