The Republican Wigwam at Chicago, in which the Republican Convention will be held, May 16, 1860
Harper’s Weekly, Saturday May 12, 1860
Republican Wigwam at Chicago.
We present herewith a view of the new building yclept the ” Republican Wigwam”—which the Republican clubs of Chicago have built for the National Republican Convention to be held in that city on 16th inst. It reflects credit on the liberality of the Chicago people.
The building stands on the corner of Lake and Market streets, a very suitable location. It is 100 feet by 180; the cornice stands 40 feet from the ground. the ground-floor, inside, is divided between the stage, which will seat 1800 persons; two large commodious committee-rooms, one on either side the stage; and the floor of the hall, which will accommodate, it is said, 8000 persons. The floor rests on an inclined platform, so that persons on the rear seats will have a good view of the stage. For spectator s, a gallery 33 feet wide runs round three sides of the building: a portion of this is set apart exclusively for ladies, and has a separate entrance, The roof of the hall is arched, and in it are five sky-lights, which, with the doors and windows on three sides, will afford ample light and ventilation. At night the whole building will be lit with gas.
The erection of such a building on such short notice, and for such a purpose, shows that the Western people are not so poor as many are fond of asserting.
The architect of the building is Mr. W. W. Boyington.
Antebellum custom was to call a political campaign headquarters a Wigwam. Wigwam is also a Native American word for “temporary shelter”.
The Wigwam was a convention center and meeting hall that served as the site of the 1860 Republican National Convention. It was located in Chicago, Illinois at Lake Street and Market (later Wacker Drive) near the Chicago River. This site had previously been the site of the Sauganash Hotel, Chicago’s first hotel. This is where supporters ushered Abraham Lincoln to the party nomination and the eventual U.S. Presidency.
The two-story Wigwam was built by Chicago business leaders to attract the 1860 Convention. It was a temporary structure, built entirely of wood in little more than a month, and it could accommodate 10–12,000 people. The building was used for political and patriotic meetings during the Convention and the American Civil War. It also served as a retail space until its demolition, some time between 1867 and 1871.