B.Y.P.U. of America 1901

A woman in a dress, chest plate that has the words "I Will", and head piece stands between red text on a yellowed background. A brown ribbon hangs below the button featuring gold text and a gold shield depicting the Bible. 

The Chicago Coliseum was the premier indoor arena and convention center in Chicago from 1900 until the Chicago Stadium opened in 1929.  Located at 1513 S. Wabash Avenue, the Coliseum could house up to 12000 patrons at any given time.  The venue was closed in 1971 because it didn’t meet fire code standards and fell into disrepair.  It was demolished in 1982 and part of the Libby façade was donated to the Chicago History Museum.  The site is now occupied by the Soka Gakkai USA Cultural Center.  Coliseum Park, across the street serves as a commemorative space to the historic structure.

B.Y.P.U. was the Baptist Young People's Union. They held their 11th convention in Chicago July 25-28, 1901.