McPherson Community Center

The McPherson Community Building was constructed in 1928 as a “community use facility.” Its’ historical use was a gymnasium and auditorium/theatre. A 1933 addition housed the Fire Department. The addition was eventually used as storage for Civil Defense (1963), the McPherson Art Guild (1973), and the McPherson Municipal Court (1998).

In 1974, additions and renovations incorporated a metal panel façade on the north elevation and replacement windows on the south façade. The gymnasium floor was replaced with a rubberized surface, removing the northeast exterior door, adjacent glazing and replacing it with an overhead door, and removing the east mezzanine in the gymnasium.

Project Details

This preservation project rehabilitated the historic community facility back to its original design and construction of 1928.

The community center provides a gathering space for functions such as sports, meetings and special events to support the McPherson community. Upgrades to the community center included renovations for the gymnasium and lobby as well as transforming the theater space for reuse into a community multi-purpose room.

This project was accepted to the National Register of Historic Places and the Register of Historic Kansas Places. The renovation in now eligible for historic tax credit funding.