Intended as Mandan's first community center, the World War Memorial Building was constructed in 1937. A 1940's post card publisher described the building as "a handsome three story structure, 121 feet by 130 feet, with one of the finest auditoriums in the state on the second floor equipped with a stage, and seating comfortably 2,000 people. Another spacious auditorium on the lower floor, rooms for the American Legion, rooms for small gathering such as Girl and Boy Scouts and other similar organizations are maintained. The largest indoor swimming pool in the state, with water automatically maintained at an even temperature and automatically purified." The building has served many purposes during its lifetime including hosting the Morton County Administrative offices and courthouse after the Collins Avenue Courthouse burned in a spectacular fire on May 13, 1941. Morton County opened its current office building in 1956.
The Memorial Building boasts an Art Deco poured concrete design with brick veneer popular for large public buildings in the 1920s and 1930s. Art Deco architecture is also featured in the decorative tiles on the nearby Lewis and Clark Hotel. The structure, built with federal funds as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project is among three other area governmental buildings constructed to recognize military veterans of World War I. The Liberty Memorial Bridge, the Liberty Memorial Building (current ND State Library on the state capitol grounds) and Bismarck's World War Memorial Building also honor these servicemen and women.
Today, the building houses the City of Mandan Administrative offices, including the water department, which is appropriately located over the former swimming pool. The pool was filled in the late 1960s after continued problems with the water treatment system.
