The location of the Civic Auditorium had been the site of several Hanford schools over the years. In 1891, Central Grammar School was built for $20,000. When this school was moved, the site was sold to the city in 1924 for $80,000.  This money was used to finance the construction of the original Woodrow Wilson School, located on Park Street. In the meantime, the local board of trade had the building, a civic center building. 

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In 1923, a bond for $190,000 to build the auditorium was approved. At the time the structure was proposed, some felt that it was too large, too elaborate and too costly for the small town of 7,000 persons.  A one hundred twenty-five foot strip from the west side of the block was sold to Kings County for the erection of a veterans’ building.

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Contracts were let on August 27, 1924 and ground was broken on October 6th of that year. The combined costs of the grounds, buildings and furnishings came to $217,948.91, which was the exact amount received for this purpose.

The Masonic Lodge presided over the impressive ceremony for the laying of the cornerstone on January 30, 1925. Dedication of the new auditorium took place on May 22, 1925 with entertainment provided by the Hanford Boys Band, the Fresno College Male Glee Club and quartet and a piano recital by Daniel Popovich. Less than eight months later the John Philip Sousa band appeared on the stage for the third of its four performances in Hanford celebrating his 50th year as a conductor

The building is a one-story Classical Revival style with its eight ionic columns and stepped parapet with a large clock building with a high central hall. The large stage, hardwood floor and sloped-floor balcony have seen 100 years of use.

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The building presents a monumental appearance facing a park area across from which sits the Kings County jail and courthouse buildings. The interior of the auditorium has a hardwood maple floor for dancing, a large stage, and a sloped floor balcony.

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The building has been the center of cultural, social and government activities for the community ever since. The city's offices were in the east wing, and the Hanford Police Department was housed in the basement until 1977.

A little more than a month after the lend-lease agreement to provide Great Britain with military aid, the nation's first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, spoke here. It was on April 29, 1941, during her tour to help prepare the country for our entry into the war in Europe.

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Other notables have included Art Linkletter who was invited by a friend, Stan Beaubaire, co-publisher of the Hanford newspapers, to give his first preview of his "People Are Funny" Show. Art Linkletter also appeared on our auditorium stage in 1941. When the local radio station was dedicated in 1948, Art Linkletter was invited once again. 

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During the "Big Band" era, and especially during WWII, dances were held here every Saturday night with an appearance by the Dorseys, Artie Shaw, Stan Kenton, Benny Goodman, Harry James and others about every three months. This was probably made possible in those days by the proximity of an Army Air corps Base in nearby Lemoore.

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The clock on the front of the auditorium is a Seth Thomas Clock, and it was originally in the school bell tower that occupied the site. The clock did not work for at least 35 years. A local citizen, Bob Marcellus, and a Visalia clock collector, Frank Kiler, restored it to working order.

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The city of Hanford continues to maintain this building at the highest level recently pouring in over a million dollars of upgrades in a new hardwood floor, interior and exterior paint, sound system and lighting upgrades, restroom upgrades, and other key infrastructure projects.

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Hanford can still be proud of this 100 year old beautiful building!