Belleville Turner Hall

The massive brick building at the southwest corner of N. 1st St. and W. A St. is Belleville Turner Hall, completed in 1923. It was the largest Turner Hall in North America when it was finished. Turner clubs originated in Germany and promoted a healthy body and mind. You can still see the panels lettered "BELLEVILLE TURNERS" above entrances along both streets. The building was converted into a Y.M.C.A. in 1960 and used until 2005; a pool addition was built along Main St. in 1964. Some of the ground floor spaces in the renovated building now contain legal offices and a jewelry valuation business (Artigem). Turner Hall is a contributing building in the Blair Historic District, a ten-block area west of Illinois St. in the heart of Belleville, listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.

The 1920s-era Belleville Turner Hall was designed by structural engineer Julius Floto (1866-1951). Floto also was the structural engineer of Imperial Hotel, famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright's Tokyo hotel. The two-story, brick building with limestone trim has a flat roof and a number of entrances. The sculptural edge and geometric designs in the brick are Art Deco style. There is a window-filled arch above the main entrance in the center of the N. 1st St. facade, with "1923" above. Ground was broken for construction on September 18th, 1923 on the $100,000 building. When it was finished, it was the largest Turner Hall in North America. There are six other pedestrian entrances along the N. 1st St. facade, recessed within plate glass storefronts. Upon entering the building from the N. 1st St. entrance, steps led up to a huge hall. The 1964 pool addition's address is 111 W. Main St.; that part of the building is only one story tall.

Turners - or "Turnvereine" in German - began in the 1810s in Germany as a club promoting physical gymnastics, with a "sound mind in a sound body." The group also promoted music, drama, and writing activities. The first Turner club in America was founded by German immigrants in Cincinatti, Ohio in 1848. A previous Turner Hall in Belleville dated to 1852 and was located one block to the east. Turners tended to be anti-slavery and pro-President Lincoln. There were about 20,000 Turners in the U.S. by 1860 in 150 clubs. Hundreds of Turners fought for the Union side in the American Civil War.

Turner Halls were not just gymnasiums but were sites for festivals, speeches, and political debates. Popularity of the clubs waned in the twentieth century and especially in the aftermath of World War I with prevalent anti-German sentiment. During World War II and the Korean War, the Belleville Turner Hall was converted into use as an armory. From the 1950s to the 1970s, Turner Hall was used by Belville Parks and Recreation. The Young Men's Christian Assocation (Y.M.C.A.) purchased Turner Hall in 1959 and it became the Belville Y.M.C.A. The organization moved out when their new Y was ready in 2006 and the City of Belville acquired the building to use as an arts and culture center.

Turner Hall was at risk of being demolished and was listed as one of the most endangered buildings in 2011. In 2013, a new owner was found, and Turner Hall was saved. Local jewelry insurance professional Kurt Artinger purchased the building and began renovations. Artinger had experience renovating older buildings and pledged to put up $700,000 toward renovation of the city would help; historic tax credits aided in funding, too. Asbestos needed to be removed, a new roof was installed, and interior utilities were replaced. With careful treatment, many historic details were saved, including the barrel roof's original beams and trusses and Art Deco detailing. the storefronts were repainted as they had been in 1923, and an original stage backdrop was re-installed. Artinger's firm is one of the current occupants of the structure.

Allen, Michael R. NRHP Nomination of Blair Historic District, Belleville, Illinois. National Register. Washington, DC. National Park Service, 2015.

American Turners. History of the Illinois District of the American Turners, Illinois District Turners. Accessed November 22nd, 2022. https://illinoisturners.org/history.html#:~:text=The%20first%20Turner%20club%20organized,forerunner%20of%20the%20Illinois%20District).

Belleville Historical Society. Turner Hall/ Old YMCA, 2013 Plein Air Art Auction. September 1st, 2013. Accessed November 22nd, 2022. http://bellevillehistoricalsociety.org/events/plein-air-art-auction-13/turner-hall-old-ymca/.

Landmarks Illinois. Belleville Turner Hall, Landmarks Illinois. Accessed November 22nd, 2022. https://www.landmarks.org/belleville-turner-hall/.

Nebelsick, Alvin Louis. A History of Belleville. Belleville, IL. Township High School and Junior College, 1951.