Diana Hall
Diana Hall is a commercial building, meeting hall and dance hall at 525-531 19th Street North in downtown Bessemer. It was constructed in 1926 by The Schilleci brothers who relocated their Superior Ice Cream company from 1804-1810 2nd Avenue.
The two-story building is constructed of Bessemer Gray bricks faced with multicolored patterned brick and stucco and a clay tile roof parapet with a deep overhang supported on brackets. The front facade is divided into unequal bays by piers which extend through the roof parapet.
A door on the far right opened into a stairway to the second floor. The upper floor was used as a meeting hall by various fraternal organizations and as a banquet and dance hall by school groups and civic organizations. In the mid-1940s it operated as Teen Town.
Diana Hall is a contributing structure to the Downtown Bessemer Historic District, listed in the National Register of Historic Places on July 15, 1992
Tenants
Retail tenants at Diana Hall have included:
- 525-531: Superior Ice Cream (1920s)
- 525: former location of Hamner Performance
- 527A: Fast Tax (2016), former location of Dominic's Barber Shop, Red's OK Barber Shop (2009-2013), Z'Mear Dreamz (2014), D R & J Title Loan
- 527B: Marilyn Boutique (2016), former location of Rosie's Unique Place (2011), Happy Dog (2014)
- 529: Bessemer Monument Co. / Bessemer Vault Co. (2009-2016)
- 531: Underground urban clothing & smoke shop (2016), former location of Image of Elegant style shop (2011-2013)
- C & R Ceramics
- Mance Modern Air
- The Post House diner
- Diana Bicycle Shop (1930s-1940s)
Clubs operating on the second floor have included:
- Teen Town (1943-1949)
- Don's Teen Town (1960)
- The Attic (late 1960s)
References
- Nelson, Linda & Melanie Betz (December 12, 1990) "Downtown Bessemer Historic District" National Register of Historic Places Registration Form