Chicago Coliseums were three large indoor arenas in Chicago , Illinois , which stood successively from the 1860s to 1982 ; they served as venues for sports events , large ( national-class ) conventions and as exhibition halls . The first Coliseum stood at State and Washington streets in Chicago 's downtown in the late 1860s . The second , at 63rd Street near Stony Island Avenue in the south side 's Woodlawn community , hosted the 1896 Democratic National Convention . The third Chicago Coliseum was located at 15th Street and Wabash Avenue on the near south side ; it hosted five consecutive Republican National Conventions , ( 1904 , 1908 , 1912 , 1916 , 1920 ) and the Progressive Party National Convention in 1912 and 1916 . In the 1960s and early 1970s it served as a general admission venue for rock concerts , roller derbys and professional wrestling matches ; it closed in 1971 and was sold for redevelopment in 1982 , however portions of the building remained standing until the early 1990s
1896 Democratic National Convention
1896 Democratic National Convention
Chicago Coliseum