Established for 100 years as a preeminent institution with the civic and social life for the deaf in Minnesota, the Charles Thompson Memorial Hall is celebrating its hundredth anniversary on the weekend at November 3rd to 6th, of twentieth sixteen.
November 5, 1916 stand for as a red letter day in history of deaf people in Minnesota. Its marked dedication and formal opening at the new clubhouse, Charles Thompson Memorial Hall and it was known as the first clubhouse for that deaf in the world, currently designed as historical national landmark.
After Charles Thompson’s death in 1915, he left inheritance to his widow, Margaret, who then donated a large sum of this money to establish a clubhouse in memory of her husband. It was his dream that the clubhouse be open to all the deaf in Minnesota. Dr. Olof Hanson, a long time good friend of the Thompsons, was hired to design a three-story building to be built at the cost of $45,000 on the corner of Marshall and Fairview Avenues in St. Paul. This Clubhouse was Olof’s last architectural design prior to his new career as Episcopal minister for the deaf in State of Washington. A trust fund of $45,000 for maintenance of the building was also included in the gift.
Mrs. Thompson initiated a corporation of five members, known as the Board of Trustees, to whom was entrusted the management and supervision at that trust fund. Since the first board of trustee consisted of four hearing members of the Thompson family and one deaf person, Today, it is managed entirely of deaf persons since the last of Mrs. Thompson’s family retired in 1951. Under article of corporation the trustees hold their post on a lifetime basis unless they resign or are removed by majority vote of other trustees.
There is also a House Committee elected annual by a mass meeting at the Hall in January. It is their duty to direct and manage the activity at that clubhouse