Braddock Roller Rink Braddock Heights Amusement Park, Braddock Heights, MD
Stargaze Skateway Braddock Heights, MD
This rink was one of many rinks that were built in trolley parks in early 20th Century. Some trolley parks had rinks before 20th Century. To name a few were Celeron Park, Suburban Park, Coney Island, etc.
This rink was operational from 1902 until it became Stargaze Skateway and an arsonist burned that rink down in 1998. Almost a 100 years but no, some crazy firestarter burned it down. It wold have been nice to celebrate 100th anniversary of a rink. Did any rink have that? I doubt it. Maybe but I have not found out anything so far.
The building was built with all wood and concrete blocks. In the basement there was a bowling alley (I think somewhere I read it says 12 lanes), and next door to the rink was Penny Arcade with pin balls, and other novelty games (before all that computerized video games you knew of such as Pac Man, Mario Brothers, and Bubble Bobble). The original before renovation had barn posts beams supporting the Gable roof building but the renovations had those removed giving stronger support for Free-Truss and opened up the rink. You will see the photographs above. It was painted White both interior and exterior.
Braddock rink was opened in 1902 as part of the Braddock Heights Amusement Park, a trolley amusement park but often the park had problems that several buildings burned down. And had replacement but later the park was losing money and had rides that needed to be repaired or replaced however, they let that go and closed in 1964. The decline began when the trolley company closed shop in 1946. And people decided to live in that town full-time and people just returned from the War, people were able to drive cross country on new paved roads and highways in 1940s and 1950s. Standard amusement parks were opening around the country replacing aging trolley parks which in turn theme parks era began in 1955 with Disneyland.
The ski resort on Braddock Mountain burned down and the final building left that was part of the Braddock Heights Amusement park beyond the closure in mid-1960s was none other than the Braddock Roller Rink.
This rink was the country's oldest surviving rink until the arsonists burned it down. Strangely, the rink was still operational however, the bowling alley was closed for a time and was bought out 3 weeks before the fire. It was separate business. Terrible.
In 1986, new owners bought the rink and renamed as Stargaze Skateway. This original building and rink burned down thanks to the arsonists on Wednesday, August 19, 1998. It was two boys that wanted to burn the rink. The motive for burning was that the rink banned Kristopher Kettells from the rink for some reason the media did not say.
Kristopher Kettells, 20, and Allen Eugene Crocker, 19, both of Holter Road, Braddock Heights, MD were the arsonists. Allen Crocker was a member of the Jefferson Volunteer Fire Company and rode on one of the engines arriving on the scene of the fire. I read the other day about this arson and I did not realize it was connected to this one. I still remember my reading about it that it was Crocker whose vehicle was stuck real close to the burning rink. What was happening was that he and Kristopher Kettells brought cans full of gas and crawled in the basement window and start a fire in the building and escaped through the window and only Crocker was successfully driven away but it was not so for Kettells and actually the fire crew and chief noticed that Kettells's vehicle was there nearby and questioned him and the same with the police and they both got suspicious of both arsonists with holes in his story. They first arrested Crocker and Crocker told the truth. They were arrested and charged hours after the fire was put out.
Often more than not, many fire fighters like to start fires. They are drawn to fires because of what they do. Please remember this that this is very very few of them and most are good firefighters caring about people's lives and people's homes and places of businesses because those are their lives. Please do support your volunteer fire department (they are unpaid unless they have higher positions).
Look at this way, for almost 100 years, this rink survived this long and they prospered well for many generations it lasted. I am sure they would have lasted a lot more years and would have lasted through Y2K, 9/11, recession of 2000, Great Recession, and the Great Virus Outbreak of 2020.
A very good website about this rink that is still running and the owner of that site has long since passed away. This is the site: Braddock Heights Trolley Amusement Park.
Rink Size: N/A Floor: Maple Wood (both generations) Floor Layout: Log Cabin
Building Size: N/A Built: N/A Demolished: Original remodeled to eliminate columns, entire building burned on Wednesday August 19, 1998 by two arsonists.
Type of Building: Original- Wood Beam Posts, later Free Span Wood Building.
Roof: Gable
Acres: N/A (Includes Trolley park, that number is unknown.)
Operated:
Braddock Roller Rink: 1902 to 1986
Stargaze Skateway: 1986 to Wednesday August 19, 1998
Reason for Closure:
Braddock Roller Rink: Sold, unknown reason.
Stargaze Skateway: Arson fire.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open, closed, and reopened. Already got the arson fire date closure. Any more exterior photos?
Sources: Fredricks News Post, Braddock Heights on Tripod, Facebook group,
Pinterest (although no rink, the amusement park photos and cards are there).
Washington Post, Washington Post 2, Frederick Magazine, Digital Maryland,
Note/Disclaimer: the two arsonists' names are mentioned in the media and it is a public record when you are arrested, charged and even if you are found guilty, it is a public record.
© 2019-2020 Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved.
Stargaze Skateway Braddock Heights, MD
This rink was one of many rinks that were built in trolley parks in early 20th Century. Some trolley parks had rinks before 20th Century. To name a few were Celeron Park, Suburban Park, Coney Island, etc.
This rink was operational from 1902 until it became Stargaze Skateway and an arsonist burned that rink down in 1998. Almost a 100 years but no, some crazy firestarter burned it down. It wold have been nice to celebrate 100th anniversary of a rink. Did any rink have that? I doubt it. Maybe but I have not found out anything so far.
The building was built with all wood and concrete blocks. In the basement there was a bowling alley (I think somewhere I read it says 12 lanes), and next door to the rink was Penny Arcade with pin balls, and other novelty games (before all that computerized video games you knew of such as Pac Man, Mario Brothers, and Bubble Bobble). The original before renovation had barn posts beams supporting the Gable roof building but the renovations had those removed giving stronger support for Free-Truss and opened up the rink. You will see the photographs above. It was painted White both interior and exterior.
Braddock rink was opened in 1902 as part of the Braddock Heights Amusement Park, a trolley amusement park but often the park had problems that several buildings burned down. And had replacement but later the park was losing money and had rides that needed to be repaired or replaced however, they let that go and closed in 1964. The decline began when the trolley company closed shop in 1946. And people decided to live in that town full-time and people just returned from the War, people were able to drive cross country on new paved roads and highways in 1940s and 1950s. Standard amusement parks were opening around the country replacing aging trolley parks which in turn theme parks era began in 1955 with Disneyland.
The ski resort on Braddock Mountain burned down and the final building left that was part of the Braddock Heights Amusement park beyond the closure in mid-1960s was none other than the Braddock Roller Rink.
This rink was the country's oldest surviving rink until the arsonists burned it down. Strangely, the rink was still operational however, the bowling alley was closed for a time and was bought out 3 weeks before the fire. It was separate business. Terrible.
In 1986, new owners bought the rink and renamed as Stargaze Skateway. This original building and rink burned down thanks to the arsonists on Wednesday, August 19, 1998. It was two boys that wanted to burn the rink. The motive for burning was that the rink banned Kristopher Kettells from the rink for some reason the media did not say.
Kristopher Kettells, 20, and Allen Eugene Crocker, 19, both of Holter Road, Braddock Heights, MD were the arsonists. Allen Crocker was a member of the Jefferson Volunteer Fire Company and rode on one of the engines arriving on the scene of the fire. I read the other day about this arson and I did not realize it was connected to this one. I still remember my reading about it that it was Crocker whose vehicle was stuck real close to the burning rink. What was happening was that he and Kristopher Kettells brought cans full of gas and crawled in the basement window and start a fire in the building and escaped through the window and only Crocker was successfully driven away but it was not so for Kettells and actually the fire crew and chief noticed that Kettells's vehicle was there nearby and questioned him and the same with the police and they both got suspicious of both arsonists with holes in his story. They first arrested Crocker and Crocker told the truth. They were arrested and charged hours after the fire was put out.
Often more than not, many fire fighters like to start fires. They are drawn to fires because of what they do. Please remember this that this is very very few of them and most are good firefighters caring about people's lives and people's homes and places of businesses because those are their lives. Please do support your volunteer fire department (they are unpaid unless they have higher positions).
Look at this way, for almost 100 years, this rink survived this long and they prospered well for many generations it lasted. I am sure they would have lasted a lot more years and would have lasted through Y2K, 9/11, recession of 2000, Great Recession, and the Great Virus Outbreak of 2020.
A very good website about this rink that is still running and the owner of that site has long since passed away. This is the site: Braddock Heights Trolley Amusement Park.
Rink Size: N/A Floor: Maple Wood (both generations) Floor Layout: Log Cabin
Building Size: N/A Built: N/A Demolished: Original remodeled to eliminate columns, entire building burned on Wednesday August 19, 1998 by two arsonists.
Type of Building: Original- Wood Beam Posts, later Free Span Wood Building.
Roof: Gable
Acres: N/A (Includes Trolley park, that number is unknown.)
Operated:
Braddock Roller Rink: 1902 to 1986
Stargaze Skateway: 1986 to Wednesday August 19, 1998
Reason for Closure:
Braddock Roller Rink: Sold, unknown reason.
Stargaze Skateway: Arson fire.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open, closed, and reopened. Already got the arson fire date closure. Any more exterior photos?
Sources: Fredricks News Post, Braddock Heights on Tripod, Facebook group,
Pinterest (although no rink, the amusement park photos and cards are there).
Washington Post, Washington Post 2, Frederick Magazine, Digital Maryland,
Note/Disclaimer: the two arsonists' names are mentioned in the media and it is a public record when you are arrested, charged and even if you are found guilty, it is a public record.
© 2019-2020 Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved.