From the time of its construction in 1886, Webster Hall served as a performance space where East Village residents could come together and share ideas. Designed by architect Charles Rentz, Webster Hall was commissioned by Polish-born cigar maker Charles Goldstein as a public rental hall.
Throughout the 1910s, the venue was a space for concerts, labor union rallies, and socialist gatherings. By the 1920s, however, Webster Hall was no longer the center for left-leaning political movements, but for eccentric masquerade balls. Webster Hall’s reputation for parties continued to grow even as Prohibition hit, and was soon transformed into a speakeasy. When Prohibition was repealed, the venue hosted a large and outlandish ball called The Return of John Barleycorn on New Year’s Eve of 1933 in celebration.
In 1953 the building was purchased by RCA Records and rebuilt and became RCA’s East Coast recording studio. On February 2, 1962, Bob Dylan was recorded for the first time ever in Webster Hall, playing harmonica on the title track of Harry Belafonte’s Midnight Special.
On May 1, 1980, the Hall became The Ritz nightclub, which would eventually go on to become the leading rock venue in NYC through the 80’s. In 1989, nightclub and venue operators the Ballinger Brothers took control of the venue, restored the building, and returned it to its original name.
In 2007, Webster Hall became a New York City landmark.
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