History
In 1903, the Kestutis association in Baltimore acquired private premises on W. Barre Street. This center for Baltimore Lithuanians functioned for 12 years until it was transferred in 1915 to the Lithuanian Corporation, which used it as headquarters. Because the building was too small for the needs of Lithuanian organizations, the Corporation’s leaders decided to build a new Lithuanian Hall.
LithHallHistory2
In December of 1916 and April of 1917, two buildings on the corner of Hollins and Parkin streets were bought. The two 3-story brink houses, interconnected with a mutual inside well, were renovated. The buildings’ renovations were entrusted to architect Stanislaus Russell, and construction went on from the spring of 1920 to the fall of 1921. The opening ceremony of the new Lithuanian Hall took place on February 17th, 1921, and festivities continued all month. An opening banquet was organized, the play “Pilenieciai” was performed, and music and sports events took place. These month-long events showed the celebrative mood with which Baltimore Lithuanians greeted the opening of a new Lithuanian Hall.
The Lithuanian Corporation worked at the Hall, as did Lithuanian organizations, which hosted events and meetings. In 1917 the Corporation was registered as Lithuanian Hall Association, Inc. This designation enabled the company to overcome financial difficulties associated with the sale of shares, as members were shareholders of the Company’s total assets. In 1977, in order to alleviate the tax burden, the Board of Directors adopted a resolution to re-register the Company as a non-profit organization. The Lithuanian Hall continues to serve as a cultural and social center for Lithuanians to this day.
LEARN MORE » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithuanian_Hall
