Courtesy of Dead-Rinks. Poster of the American Park. A popular common attraction at about every trolley parks, amusement parks, and early form of theme parks pre-Disney era. The water chute.
Courtesy of Dead-Rinks. Enough said, the postcard even said it all. 1500 Square Meter. The postcard said in French, Salle de Skating, Piste en erable de 1500 mq. This means "Skating Room, 1500 Square meter Maple rink" ("track" in mistranslation). Ah, I wish I can convert the now closed ShoppingTown Mall in Dewitt, NY into a skating rink having the ceiling exact the same! Haha. I dont have 3 million dollars to buy from the county plus it wants 8 million dollars in back taxes that the previous owner failed to paid and was "absent." If I did.. ohh, the interior would be like that above! Would that be nice, skaters?!
American Park Roller Rink Marseilles, FR
American Park Roller Rink was part of the American Park Amusement Park in Marseilles, France. The amusement park opened on June 15, 1910 to general public. The real name was Parc américain which translate as American Park.
They were literally a theme park, not amusement park. One of the earliest theme park, Sorry Disney, you were not the first. Because this was a theme park. The reason I declare it is a theme park because the theme is America. American.
The location was in Marseille, near the Prado roundabout, across from Parc Chanot, next to the Stade Vélodrome which is renamed as Orange Vélodrome. The Marseille newspaper, La Vedette, reported the location of where the theme park was.
The Park included a cinema theater, a roller skating rink, a brasserie (a bar restaurant or a pub/tavern), a buffet restaurant, a performance hall and a 20,000 Square Meter amusement park. 20,000 Square Meter translates to 215,278.2 Square Feet or nearly 5 Acres. Real small park.
At the rink, they had skating shows, demonstrations as well as public skating.
Albert Roman was the park director before he was drafted into World War I becoming a lieutenant in the French 112th Infantry. He died for his country on December 21, 1914. Apparently the park was closed during World War I.
The American Park was the victim of a fire in the early years. But the First World War finishes the operations of the theme park because it was used as barracks for the regrouping of the troops in transit coming from, or towards the front of North Africa theater of war (Likely both World Wars).
The Interior.
The interior had Wooden floor and was fenced around with wooden planks. The appearance looked like a state fair grounds building. It had Gable glass atrium ceiling to let light in. It does remind me of greenhouses and some shopping malls (like Destiny USA mall in Syracuse, NY).
The interior was very spacious and unique in design.
The rink itself was 1500 Square Meter, and that translates into 16145.87 Square Feet.
The Exterior.
Greenhouse like Free-Span Steel Truss Greenhouse like building with tall walls.
The Stats:
Rink Size: 1500 SM/16145.87 SF Floor: Maple. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: 1910. Demolished: Series of fires damaged and the World War I forced it to close for good, converted to barracks for World Wars.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Truss Steel-Walled Greenhouse - like Building.
Roof: Gable with glass atrium.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: June 15, 1910 to 1914.
Reason for Closure: Series of fires hampered growth and World War I right at the front gate. Forced to close and converted to barracks for troops for wars.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: Wikipedia - American Park;
Date of issue: 27 January 2021.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:16.
They were literally a theme park, not amusement park. One of the earliest theme park, Sorry Disney, you were not the first. Because this was a theme park. The reason I declare it is a theme park because the theme is America. American.
The location was in Marseille, near the Prado roundabout, across from Parc Chanot, next to the Stade Vélodrome which is renamed as Orange Vélodrome. The Marseille newspaper, La Vedette, reported the location of where the theme park was.
The Park included a cinema theater, a roller skating rink, a brasserie (a bar restaurant or a pub/tavern), a buffet restaurant, a performance hall and a 20,000 Square Meter amusement park. 20,000 Square Meter translates to 215,278.2 Square Feet or nearly 5 Acres. Real small park.
At the rink, they had skating shows, demonstrations as well as public skating.
Albert Roman was the park director before he was drafted into World War I becoming a lieutenant in the French 112th Infantry. He died for his country on December 21, 1914. Apparently the park was closed during World War I.
The American Park was the victim of a fire in the early years. But the First World War finishes the operations of the theme park because it was used as barracks for the regrouping of the troops in transit coming from, or towards the front of North Africa theater of war (Likely both World Wars).
The Interior.
The interior had Wooden floor and was fenced around with wooden planks. The appearance looked like a state fair grounds building. It had Gable glass atrium ceiling to let light in. It does remind me of greenhouses and some shopping malls (like Destiny USA mall in Syracuse, NY).
The interior was very spacious and unique in design.
The rink itself was 1500 Square Meter, and that translates into 16145.87 Square Feet.
The Exterior.
Greenhouse like Free-Span Steel Truss Greenhouse like building with tall walls.
The Stats:
Rink Size: 1500 SM/16145.87 SF Floor: Maple. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: 1910. Demolished: Series of fires damaged and the World War I forced it to close for good, converted to barracks for World Wars.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Truss Steel-Walled Greenhouse - like Building.
Roof: Gable with glass atrium.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: June 15, 1910 to 1914.
Reason for Closure: Series of fires hampered growth and World War I right at the front gate. Forced to close and converted to barracks for troops for wars.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: Wikipedia - American Park;
Date of issue: 27 January 2021.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:16.