Aztec Tomb

The Ballroom was designed in 1929 by Charles N. Agree as a flamboyant venue in which to socialize, dance and hear music. The ballroom was a major venue for bands of the 1930s and 1940s, such as those of Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Red Nichols, Russ Morgan, Art Mooney, Woody Herman, and Pee Wee Hunt. The ballroom was closed in 1958, but reopened in 1964 for one night a week.

The Ballroom is a two-story building originally containing five retail shops on the first floor and a ballroom on the second. It is built in the Art Deco style with an Aztec or Mayan Revival theme. The ballroom inside was built to hold 1,000 couples, and had a 5,600 square-foot maple dance floor, a stage/bandstand, and a promenade on three sides. The dance floor was built on springs which intentionally sank under the weight of the people who danced on it, giving the dancers a "bounce" as they moved. The backdrop of the stage features a scene representing Chichen Itza.

It was eventually completely shuttered, and although it played a bit part in Eminem's movie, 8 Mile, it remains closed. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

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