New Haven Arena Co. - Famous Doors Performance was Held Here - 1927 dated $1,000 Uncanceled Bond

$1,000 Uncanceled 6 1/2% Gold Bond printed by Franklin Lee Division - American Bank Note Co. New Haven, Connecticut.

The New Haven Arena in Connecticut functioned as a cultural anchor for more than fifty years. Opened in 1914 as an outdoor site, it became an indoor space in 1927 following a severe fire. For many years, the arena served as a lively center for local athletics and shows, hosting the New Haven Eagles hockey team, major boxing bouts, ice skating performances, and circuses. With seating that reached beyond 5,000 for concerts, the rough, close-knit space became a key stop for touring artists during the mid-20th-century rise of rock and roll, attracting figures such as The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Jimi Hendrix.  

On December 9, 1967, the arena earned a lasting role in rock history during a famous set by The Doors. Before the performance, lead singer Jim Morrison was maced by a local officer in a backstage dressing room after being seen with a female fan. Later, an upset Morrison described the encounter to the crowd, using explicit language and ridiculing the police stationed near the stage. Officers halted the music, switched on the house lights, and arrested Morrison on stage, marking the first time a rock star was taken into custody during a live show. This event, which triggered a small riot and resulted in Morrison’s booking at the local station, turned both the New Haven Arena and the concert into emblems of counterculture resistance.