Peace Memorial Auditorium
In 2013, Manhattan's City Commission discussed plans to significantly alter Peace Memorial Auditorium, which is a "living" memorial intended to honor the Riley Countians who served in World War II, the 101 servicemen who were killed, and the county's early settlers. Plans called for replacing the performance stage with basketball courts and replacing the permanent seats with offices. The M/RCPA led the efforts to preserve the memorial auditorium for the first year, and then auditorium advocates formed the Friends of Peace Memorial Auditorium group in 2014 and worked tirelessly to renovate the auditorium. The auditorium's memorial foyer was dedicated in Nov. 2017, and the renovated Peace Memorial Auditorium was rededicated in Oct. 2018.
Click on the historic image below to learn more about the process.
Click on the historic image below to learn more about the process.
Historic photo from the Peace Memorial Auditorium & City Offices planning document.