The Sherwood Manufacturing building, also known as Arnold Hall, in downtown Lee’s Summit is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places – a crucial designation requirement in order for the structure to be considered for state and federal historic tax credits.
The inclusion of Arnold Hall in the National Register of Historic Places adds to the number of Lee’s Summit buildings already designated to be a part of this list, which includes residential and commercial structures. Ten districts in Lee’s Summit are now listed in the National Register. There are more than 80,000 properties nationally listed in the National Register representing 1.4 million individual resources - buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects.
Arnold Hall and the land on which it resides are credited with a rich history in our community. In the late 1800s, the Betterment of Ourselves Club built a structure for its programs at the current site of Arnold Hall. This building was later donated to the Robert L. Clore American Legion Post as a memorial to those who lost their lives in World War I. In 1922, Harry Truman declared his candidacy for Eastern Judge of the Jackson County Court from the steps of the memorial building. The building burned in 1941. In 1946 Frank and Gladys Sherwood built the current structure as a manufacturing plant for pipe nipples. Successful business man Joseph Arnold purchased the building in 1950 and donated it to the City for use as a community center. During the 1950’s, through the mid 1990’s, the building was leased by various tenants. The income from the building was used for various City improvements. In 1995, the building was upgraded to be used for City Council meetings and other public purposes.
“The National Historic Designation of Arnold Hall confirms the importance of this structure regarding the story of our past, more importantly this designation enhances our opportunity to make Arnold Hall a major contributor to our economic growth in downtown Lee’s Summit,’’ said Lee’s Summit City Manager Stephen Arbo.
Chairperson of the Historic Preservation Commission Kathy Smith describes Arnold Hall as “not fancy, but a sound, sturdy building with beautiful beams and great acoustics that could almost be called humble in its architecture.” “It is a tribute to our City that historians and preservationists were willing to fight to protect this one-of-a-kind structure.’ ‘Arnold Hall and the story of Joe Arnold and Frank Sherwood can now take its place in the National Register of Historic Places along with other important historic sites across the United States,” Smith said.
Mayor Rhoads added, “The designation is great news for this historic gem of our community and for what we envision for Arnold Hall and our community’s continual cultivation of arts and culture.” “We see Arnold Hall as the first step to a much broader and diverse set of cultural facilities that will allow our community to continue to prosper, both economically and culturally. This project, like so many others in the community would not be possible without strong City leadership and community partners,” said Mayor Rhoads.
Currently, there are efforts underway to restore and reuse Arnold Hall for a small venue performing arts theatre, serving Lee’s Summit and all of Southern and Eastern Jackson County. A major fundraising campaign is underway to help fund the major improvements to the building.
The immediate goal is to raise $4.5 million in private and public funds to refurbish and redesign the building to accommodate the Martin City Melodrama troupe as the primary tenant with the intent of hosting other performance groups, public art shows and community events. According to preliminary designs of the renovated building, the theatre could seat up to 300 individuals.
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