History and architecture
Characterized by one contemporary observer as "an idea with a roof over it" Town Hall was built in 1919-1921 as a meeting hall for the city of New York. The architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White was asked by the League for Political Education to design a structure to accommodate the organization's needs for a speaker's auditorium, a concert hall, a movie theater and club. A versatile and functional design was demanded, not an architectural conceit. Because of the versatility of its design, Town Hall, as perhaps no ether hall in the city, has been able to keep pace with changing needs. Following its beginning as a forum to educate the city's men and women in political issues, Town Hall attained national importance in 1935 when radio spread "America's Town Meeting of the Air" across the country.
Sources and further reading
This history comes from the Landmarks app’s historical catalog. Names and building uses may reflect the period described.