St. Cloud Area Ballrooms; 2nd Installment

The St. Cloud area has and continues to have iconic ballrooms.  This is our 2nd installment with local historian Jim Grabinski.  He joined me on WJON to highlight the ballrooms that hosted numerous weddings, concerts and events.  He says the popularity of ballrooms peaked in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.

Lake Henry Colosseum - Grabinski says it was in business in the 1940s until the 1980s.  He says the building is now gone.

New Munich Ballroom - Opened in 1931 and stayed in business for 67 years.  Shortly after shutting down it burned down in 1998.  Longtime New Munich residents suspect arson but no arrests were ever made.  It was located 2 miles north of New Munich along Interstate 94.  Nothing is located there now.  The facility was used for roller skating, dances, wedding receptions and concerts.  Some famous people who performed there include Conway Twitty, Bobby Vee and Lawrence Welk.

Pelican Lake Ballroom - It opened in 1938 just west of St. Anna.  It is still in business today owned by Pat and Ron Schminda.  Pelican Lake Ballroom continues to serve broasted chicken every Tuesday.  Pelican Lake ballroom has held many wedding receptions, concerts and a professional wrestling exhibition.  Kenny the "Sodbuster" J, a Holdingford native, wrestled there in the early 1980s.

Sauk Centre Colosseum - It opened on Easter Sunday 1946.  Grabinski says on opening day they sold over 1,000 tickets.  He indicates they were in business for 51 years.  The building was taken down in October of 1997 because the DNR bought the land.

Dreamland Hall - It was located in downtown Holdingford.  It existed from the 1930s until 1959, when it burned down.

Spring Hill Ballroom - It was located north of Paynesville near Schwagel's store in Spring Hill.  Grabinski recalls it was located in the House Shoe bar.  He says it had a horseshoe shaped bar.

Cold Spring Ballroom - It was located on the west end of Cold Spring where the Blue Heron Supper Club is now located.  It opened in 1931 and was destroyed by fire in 1969.  Grabinski recalls seeing Jerry Lee Lewis perform there.

Green Lantern Pavilion - It was located between St. Anthony and Albany. Grabinski says it was there for 60 years from the 1920s until the 1980s.

Riverside Colosseum - This building was located in Richmond.  It opened in 1929. In 1993 it was purchased by professor wrestler Buck Zumhofe.  This facility is still in business today but under different management.

Del-Win Ballroom - It was located in St. Joseph just south of County Road 75.  Grabinski says it opened in 1984 despite numerous protests by area residents.  It had a 6,100 square foot maple wood floor.  Past performers at the Del-Win include Great White, George Thorogood and the Destroyers, Bret Michaels, and Asleep at the Wheel.  In 2002 it was sold and the name was changed to the Lighthouse.  In 2005 it was sold again and became Trobec's Event Center.   The building was taken down in 2012.  This facility was also used for wedding receptions and the Twins Winter Caravan.

Wilson's Hall - St. Cloud's first dance hall was named Wilson's Hall after St. Cloud founder John Wilson.  It was located downtown on 5th Avenue and St. Germain Street.  It opened on Christmas Eve in 1857.  It had a large wooden floor.  The building was taken down in the early 1950s.

Little Rock Pavilion - It was built in 1935 along Highway 10 near Little Rock Lake.  The building was moved by truck in the 1950s to St. Augusta to become Cedar Point Ballroom.  The King's Supper Club replaced the Little Rock Pavilion before it became the King's Inn.

Roscoe Dance Hall - It was located along Highway 23 where the Roadside Tavern is now.

Eden Lakeside Club - It was located on the lake near Eden Valley.  Grabinski says it offered roller skating, and dinning and dancing.  He says it had many different owners over the years and is now closed.

White Castle Pavilion - It was located in St. Wendel across from the Church next to Luther's Bar.  It was built in 1934.  Grabinski says the church didn't approve of the facility.

If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Jim Grabinski, it is available below.