Address | New York City United States |
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The Golden Gate Ballroom, originally named the "State Palace Ballroom",[1] was a luxurious[2][3][4] ballroom located at the intersection of Lenox Avenue and 142nd Street[5][3][6][note 1] in Harlem in New York City.[2] It was allegedly the largest public auditorium in Harlem, with 25,000 square feet and a capacity of about 5,000 people on the dance floor in addition to several thousand spectators.[1][8][7]
The serial entrepreneur Jay Faggen led the project to open the Golden Gate Ballroom, which took place in October 1939.[1][4] The site had formerly been the Douglas Theater.[9] By mid-1940, it was taken over by the same owner and manager as the Savoy Ballroom.[10][11] It was one of many Harlem jazz clubs located on Lenox Avenue[3] and competed intensely with the Savoy Ballroom.[12]
The Golden Gate closed around 1950.[3]
Notable performers at the Golden Gate included Les Hite, Harlan Leonard, Claude Hopkins, Milt Herth, Jimmie Lunceford,[12] Count Basie, Hot Lips Page,[9] Josh White, Art Tatum, Billie Holiday, Hazel Scott,[7] and Coleman Hawkins.[13][9] The opening night stars were the Cotton Club Parade, Stepin Fetchit, and Louis Armstrong.[14]The Teddy Wilson orchestra was the house band.[4]
The ballroom was the first site used by pastor Alvin A. Childs' ministry in Harlem.[15]
The Golden Gate Ballroom also hosted community events such as political rallies[7] and the "Miss Fine Brown Frame" beauty pageant[16][17][18] and served as a roller skating rink.[1]
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