Top two photos/postcard water colored courtesy of Foster.com
Black and white photo and the fire photo courtesy of Fosters.com website. That was bad fire! Totally gutted.
Photo courtesy of Maxfield Real Estate. Modern rebuilt of same building. Quite identical as if it is a rebuilt.
Alton Bay Pavilion, 18 NH-11, Alton Bay, NH
This pavilion was not the same pavilion you see today when you drive by. It was originally built on the same site. Twice it did burn down. So, the current one is a rebuilt in more fancier than the original one.
The original had a lot of windows as it was common for roller rinks back the day in early 20th Century. It had a rich and long history regarding to the building.
It was built in 1921 by Stephen Lynch but it was destroyed by fire in 1928. The original building was a two-story that housed a pretty much a full entertainment complex: a restaurant, a movie theater and a large dance hall. Families would come to the dances. Young, old, children came to the dance. It was a dance hall, not a night club.
After the fire, it was quickly rebuilt the following year and it was downsized to one story. During the Great Depression, the pavilion was fortunate to have big names playing at there such as Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, and Count Basie were featured performers at the pavilion. It was known as "Big Band" music and orchestra playing there. Apparently the pavilion peak era was in 1930s but time was changing and the War was happening in 1940s.
In the year 1940, Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Whitney bought the building from Clarence Mixer, the owners durning 1930s. (There were many owners come and go between 1920s and 1940) renovated into a roller skating rink. Renovations done to convert to a rink included installing new railings, a new ceiling, and updating the lighting and paneling.
Dancing was much less because more so of roller skating at the rink there. Roller skating was very popular from opening to the mid-1980s. In 1985, it was sold to Ernest Gillan, the owner of Gillan Marine, used the building for boat storage. Clearly roller skating declined.
During the Retro 1990s era, Jonathan and Nancy Downing bought the pavilion in 1996, bringing back roller skating and featuring the return of the big band music featuring Freese Brothers Band from Pittsfield, country line dancing and a sundae buffet. This was common for businesses in 1990s to have retro look, materials, merchandises, and even businesses. However, it only lasted two years. Quite sad.
The ever evolving with the pavilion, so in 1998, Daryle and Carl Hoitt bought the property to renovate the location and fulfill their lifelong dream to return to New England. They turned the pavilion into a country and western tavern, featuring late breakfasts and line dancing bringing back to the era of dance hall-isque at the time.
Since that tavern, many including the tavern attempted to stay as a business but failed often.
Then in Thursday December 14, 2006, a fire totally engulfed the building entirely. Several alarms were called to fight and it was a total loss. It was being renovated into a condo complex.
After that fire, people were disappointed about this loss and did not want condos. Today, the pavilion reborn. It is rebuilt into a look-alike to the 2nd pavilion. It has more ornate than the original plain looking. However, it is a shopping plaza. It is now called Winnipesaukee Pavillion.
So, the rink ran twice. Between 1940 and 1985 and again from 1996 to 1998.
Rink Size: N/A Floor: Likely wood. Likely Maple. Floor Layout: N/A (originally dance)
Building Size: N/A Built: (original built in 1921 but burned down 1928,) rebuilt 1929, burned down 2006. Now rebuilt as shopping plaza on same location 2007.
Roof: Gable with Hip (2nd building).
Acres: N/A
Operated: Original rink 1940 to 1985, reopened 1996 to 1998.
Reason for Closure: First in 1985- decline. Likely financial.
Second 1996- Failure.
Wanted: Information regarding photos of interior if any! Exact dates of open and closure for both.
Sources: Foster.com, FRRP, Alton Bay Pavilion - In Memorium, The Lacona Daily Sun, Maxfield Real Estate.
© 2019 - 2020 Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved.
This pavilion was not the same pavilion you see today when you drive by. It was originally built on the same site. Twice it did burn down. So, the current one is a rebuilt in more fancier than the original one.
The original had a lot of windows as it was common for roller rinks back the day in early 20th Century. It had a rich and long history regarding to the building.
It was built in 1921 by Stephen Lynch but it was destroyed by fire in 1928. The original building was a two-story that housed a pretty much a full entertainment complex: a restaurant, a movie theater and a large dance hall. Families would come to the dances. Young, old, children came to the dance. It was a dance hall, not a night club.
After the fire, it was quickly rebuilt the following year and it was downsized to one story. During the Great Depression, the pavilion was fortunate to have big names playing at there such as Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, and Count Basie were featured performers at the pavilion. It was known as "Big Band" music and orchestra playing there. Apparently the pavilion peak era was in 1930s but time was changing and the War was happening in 1940s.
In the year 1940, Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Whitney bought the building from Clarence Mixer, the owners durning 1930s. (There were many owners come and go between 1920s and 1940) renovated into a roller skating rink. Renovations done to convert to a rink included installing new railings, a new ceiling, and updating the lighting and paneling.
Dancing was much less because more so of roller skating at the rink there. Roller skating was very popular from opening to the mid-1980s. In 1985, it was sold to Ernest Gillan, the owner of Gillan Marine, used the building for boat storage. Clearly roller skating declined.
During the Retro 1990s era, Jonathan and Nancy Downing bought the pavilion in 1996, bringing back roller skating and featuring the return of the big band music featuring Freese Brothers Band from Pittsfield, country line dancing and a sundae buffet. This was common for businesses in 1990s to have retro look, materials, merchandises, and even businesses. However, it only lasted two years. Quite sad.
The ever evolving with the pavilion, so in 1998, Daryle and Carl Hoitt bought the property to renovate the location and fulfill their lifelong dream to return to New England. They turned the pavilion into a country and western tavern, featuring late breakfasts and line dancing bringing back to the era of dance hall-isque at the time.
Since that tavern, many including the tavern attempted to stay as a business but failed often.
Then in Thursday December 14, 2006, a fire totally engulfed the building entirely. Several alarms were called to fight and it was a total loss. It was being renovated into a condo complex.
After that fire, people were disappointed about this loss and did not want condos. Today, the pavilion reborn. It is rebuilt into a look-alike to the 2nd pavilion. It has more ornate than the original plain looking. However, it is a shopping plaza. It is now called Winnipesaukee Pavillion.
So, the rink ran twice. Between 1940 and 1985 and again from 1996 to 1998.
Rink Size: N/A Floor: Likely wood. Likely Maple. Floor Layout: N/A (originally dance)
Building Size: N/A Built: (original built in 1921 but burned down 1928,) rebuilt 1929, burned down 2006. Now rebuilt as shopping plaza on same location 2007.
Roof: Gable with Hip (2nd building).
Acres: N/A
Operated: Original rink 1940 to 1985, reopened 1996 to 1998.
Reason for Closure: First in 1985- decline. Likely financial.
Second 1996- Failure.
Wanted: Information regarding photos of interior if any! Exact dates of open and closure for both.
Sources: Foster.com, FRRP, Alton Bay Pavilion - In Memorium, The Lacona Daily Sun, Maxfield Real Estate.
© 2019 - 2020 Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved.