D.C.'s Uline Arena: Where the Beatles Played Their First U.S. Concert

There is a run-down parking garage in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Commuters park their cars in the morning and leave in the evening without pausing to take a look around. People walk by without a glance. Train passengers look out the window and think nothing of it. But how many of these people know the magical history of this special place?

Before it was a parking garage, the Uline Arena was constructed in 1939 by Miguel L. "Uncle Mike" Uline for his professional ice hockey team Washington Lions. It was built along the tracks leading to Union Station in an area now known as NoMa (North of Massachusetts). The indoor arena opened in 1941 as the home arena of the Lions and hosted other events. Uline was also the home arena of the Red Auerbach-coached Washington Capitols of the Basketball Association of America.

But it wasn't until jewelry wholesaler Harry G. Lynn bought the arena in 1959 for $1 million, renamed it the Washington Coliseum, and made it a place for concerts that the place became world famous. That's because the Beatles performed their first U.S. concert there on February 11, 1964. So the Washington Coliseum/Uline Arena/parking garage will always be remembered as the first American venue chosen by the most popular and acclaimed rock band the world has ever known.

Click here for an excellent website with a pictorial history of Uline Arena with pictures and videos from the Beatles' concert and photos of sports memorabilia including programs for the Lions, Capitols and the hockey team that would later play there in the 1950s called the Presidents, and the later basketball team called the Caps.

Perhaps one day the building will be restored to its former glory as the neighborhood surrounding it is currently rapidly being developed. It would be great to see the history of the place honored and preserved while moving forward with a 21st century renovation.

Here are more photos of what the Uline Arena looks like today.

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NoMa

Before moving to New York City, I worked for a month in the fastest-growing neighborhood in the nation's capital. NoMa (North of Massachusetts) is like a rapidly rising city-within-a-city. There are gleaming new office buildings under construction, stylish residential units, hotels, restaurants and grocery stores popping up seemingly out of nowhere. It is amazing to see the progress being made.

NoMa is located north of Union Station and Capitol Hill along First Street NE between Massachusetts and New York Avenues. There are several historical buildings in the area such as the Woodward & Lothrop Service Warehouse, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was constructed in the Streamline Moderne style, a type of Art Deco design that emerged in the 1930s. The building features an iconic water tower on the roof with the words "One NoMa Station" that has become the unofficial symbol of the NoMa neighborhood since it is visible from many vantage points across the city.

Other historic structures include the Uline Arena, St. Alysius Church, Gonzaga College High School and the Government Printing Office.  The 1939-built Uline Arena is famous for being the site of The Beatles' first U.S. concert in 1964. Then known as Washington Coliseum, the arena also was the home of the Red Auerbach-coached Washington Capitols of the Basketball Association of America and the professional ice hockey team the Washington Lions. Right now Uline Arena is a parking garage, but there are plans to redevelop the famous structure at some point.

NoMa is a major transportation hub. There are multiple Capital Bikeshare station, bike lanes,  the Metropolitan Branch Trail, the Greyhound Bus Depot, a Red Line Metro station recently renamed NoMa-Gallaudet University to reflect the rebranding of the area. And of course Union Station is the second busiest Amtrak rail station in the United States after NYC's Penn Station. Union Station is home to bike rentals, the Bikestation bike service facility, the Circulator bus, city-to-city commuter buses, Amtrak, Virginia Railway Express and MARC commuter train service. And Amtrak has ambitious plans to turn Union Station into a 21st century high-speed rail hub that will continue the amazing transformation of NoMa.

The NoMa Business Improvement District (BID) organizes lunchtime music concerts, evening movie screenings and other events. If you haven't had the chance to visit NoMa, you should. You will be amazed at the new infrastructure and the many towering construction cranes getting things done in the shadow of the United States Capitol. The symbolism could not be more striking.

Here are more photos from NoMa -- a neighborhood in transition.



And here is video of Jimi Smooth & HitTime Motown cover band performing during Rhythm in NoMa lunchtime music series at Au Bon Pain Plaza next to the NoMa Metro Station.

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