Curating a Museum – An exhibit featuring a history of El Torreon and Cowtown Ballroom located on the third floor will be closing on Sunday, February 2.
El Torreon opened in 1927 on the corner of 31st and Gilliham with two large ballrooms and its own house band, led by Phil Baxter.
It was the place to be and to be seen-until the Great Depression hit large ballrooms like El Torreon hard. It closed in 1934
From 1971 to 1974, it was home to the Cowtown Ballroom, one of the most popular rock venues in the country. Many cities across the country had similar places-the Armadillo in Austin, Texas, and the Fillmore East in New York City—to name two. The Cowtown held less than 2,000 people but attracted an eclectic group of up-and-coming acts, including Van Morrison, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Frank Zappa, B.B. King, and Linda Ronstadt.
During the 1970s, amid anti-war protests and the civil rights and feminist movements, the Cowtown Ballroom was home for Kansas City’s counterculture.
Click here to take a virtual tour created by Clio.
