Uptown Chicago Resources
Aragon Ballroom: Gorgeous Bit o’ Hispanola for Uptown Dancers
From Chicago Daily Tribune, May 10, 1925
Aragon Ballroom interior. Image courtesy CRCC collection.
Plans have been completed and work is to start within a few weeks on what the owners claim will be “the largest and most beautiful ballroom in the world” at the northwest corner of Lawrence and Winthrop avenues.
It’s to be erected by a syndicate formed by Andrew Karzas, Woodlawn fox trot and film impresario of Trianon ballroom and Woodlawn theater fame, and Milton Plotke of Plotke & Grosby, realty operators and builders.
The architects are Huszagh & Hill, with John Eberson associated. Their interior plans call for an architectural representation of a Spanish courtyard or patio, shown in a nearby column, with a blue sky dotted with twinkling stars, similar to Mr. Eberson’s Capitol theater on the far south side and an idea to be used in his new Avalon theater, a picture of which is shown in this department.
The ballroom floor will be octagonal and will accommodate several thousand. It’ll have three stages at one end and two promenades on the sides.
As the entire architectural scheme will be Spanish, the owners have an unlimited supply of gorgeous sounding names with which to christen it appropriately. If it’s to be as beautiful as clamed, it surely shouldn’t have a commonplace name.
Huszagh, Musson & Co. are in charge of the financing of the project. New Year’s Eve is set for the opening night.
