Trainmen's Hall, 1908
"Trainmen's Hall was built in 1908 at 1017 Eighth Avenue on the corner of Tenth Street by the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen. The BRT was founded in 1883 in Oneonta, New York as a protective and insurance organization. By the time of its merger with three other railroad labor unions (to form the United Transportation Union in 1969), it had the greatest membership of any of the operating railroad brotherhoods. The BRT was established to advocate members' interests in contract negotiations with management. The Altoona Chapter was the largest in the original union. On the top floor of their building were the meeting room and the ballroom. The ballroom which could hold 200 people, was not ornamentally fancy, but functional and spacious. It included a balcony and ticket and/or cloak room, all of which are still in the building today. An elevator was provided to take patrons to the fourth floor. On November 26, 1911, the Uniform Rank held their annual ball, which was reported in the Altoona Mirror as being one of the most enjoyable social affairs in the city. Two hundred people attended. Dancing was to the music of Vallade's Orchestra. A farmer's ball was scheduled for later in the year on December 14. In its early days, a roof garden flourished, but soot from passing railroad engines, only two blocks away, close that venue. Brotherhood and community events took place in the ballroom such as graduation ceremonies for Catholic High School students since the school was only a few blocks away. The present apartments originally accommodated out-of-town Brotherhood members and their families due to the scarcity of affordable, clean hotel rooms in the city. The meeting room and ballroom are being restored to their original appearance by the present owner Ronald Hammond with Charlene Beckwith." Farrow, Michael G., Ph.D. Now Showing, A History of Altoona and Blair County Theaters. Altoona: Signature Book Printing, 2013. Print.