Collection 05 · 05-20

The Spanish Ballroom (05-20)

❧ ✦ ❧

Watercolor painting of the Spanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park in 1940, showing couples and groups dancing beneath the ballroom roof during the park's 1940s dance-hall era.

Historical narrative

The Spanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park opened in 1933 and quickly became one of the Washington, DC, area's premier dance halls. Built in a distinctive combination of Spanish Mission and Art Deco styles, it featured a magnificent 7,500-square-foot polished maple dance floor and room for as many as 1,800 dancers. During the 1940s, especially throughout World War II, the ballroom was alive with the sounds of big bands, swing orchestras, and popular dance music. Couples arrived by streetcar, dressed for an evening of dancing, and spent warm summer nights moving across the gleaming floor beneath glowing lights and colorful decorations. The air buzzed with excitement, laughter, and music. For many young people, a night at the Spanish Ballroom meant romance, friendship, and escape from everyday worries, making it one of Glen Echo Park's most cherished attractions.

Watercolor

← PREVIOUS BACK TO COLLECTION 05 NEXT →

Preservation Art Studio

The Spanish Ballroom (05-20)