Smuin Dance Hall

The Smuin Dance Hall in Lehi was once one of the town’s brightest social beacons, where music, movement, and community all came together under one roof. Conceived by James “Jim” Smuin around 1913 after decades of playing at dances across the region, the Smuin family decided to build a permanent venue in their own town. Designed and built by local craftsman Monroe Wilson, the hall opened on Halloween night of 1913, ushering in a new era of entertainment for Lehi and its neighbors. 

From the moment the lights shone on its polished floor, the hall drew large audiences. Its proportions were impressive for the time—forty feet wide and nearly ninety feet long—and the floor itself was a marvel, built with springs that gave it a subtle lift and bounce, making dancers feel as though they were gliding on air. The hall was also designed with comfort and style in mind: separate restrooms, a confectionery stand, and dozens of windows and even a large fan ensured good ventilation for energetic dance nights.

As its reputation grew, the Smuin Dance Hall did more than host dances. Before the new high school built a gym, the hall filled that role—serving as the site for basketball games, gym classes, and large school functions. Over the years it nurtured the talents of local bands and orchestras (including the Smuin Brothers themselves), even running musical promotions, waltz contests, giveaway nights, and periods when it served as a roller-skating rink.

The Great Depression hit hard, and the hall’s name changed hands. Around 1931 it was leased and renamed “LeVada Hall,” and shortly after that became “The DansArt” following a naming contest. During those lean years the management leaned into novelty: balloon dances, “kiss dances,” silver dollar nights, even calico balls with contest prizes—all aiming to keep the spirit alive when entertainment dollars were scarce.

In time, as tastes shifted and the building aged, it was transformed into apartments to meet housing needs during and after World War II. Later on, it would be restored and repurposed into a senior living facility. Under careful renovation, the hall’s original bones were honored and preserved. Today it stands as Abbington Manor, its history woven into the walls of a building now offering a different kind of service to the community. 

What makes the Smuin Dance Hall so compelling is how it mirrors Lehi’s growth. At one moment it was a sparkling stage for music and romance, in another a makeshift school gym or meeting hall, and later a place of home and memory. The hall’s life story reflects how communities evolve—and how buildings can evolve too, carrying forward the dance of past generations into new roles for the living.