Photo courtesy of Maryland Historical Society. This was the main gate to walk in. Looked so easy to get in! No turning bars, no glass booths, nothing. Looked like you can walk right in.
Courtesy of Kidstuffs website. It was an article with three coupons for admission! Sure looked like those two women having a ball! One looks like she is about to fall down! OOPS!
Carlin's Roller Arena Carlin's Amusement Park, Druid Park Drive, Baltimore, MD
Carlin's Park was an amusement park which was established by John J. Carlin in 1918 in Baltimore, Maryland and it had roller coaster, drive-in theater, several rides, including teacup (Sound familiar? Way before Disney had them!)
The rink was established as well on or after 1918. This amusement park did not have much information compared to other old amusement parks that had more history to it. Mr. Carlin renovated the Arena Theater which was literally a stage/film theater and removed seating in 1926 and installed 17,000 SF Maple floor for a roller rink according to the book Historic Amusement Parks of Baltimore by John P. Coleman on page 58 (information provided by Maryland Historical Society). There was quite interesting extra information that may have contradicted or may have built another skating rink at the same amusement park. It was 1922 that it was built by Carlin as reported in The Baltimore Sun. Unfortunately, the heirs of the park shut it down for good in 1955 due to a fire in the mid-way.
The park started to see itself declined starting with John J. Carlin's death in May 1954 followed by a fire at Carlin's Iceland ice rink. Then the final blow was when Baltimore built a new Civic Arena to replace many recreational facilities (May have hurt the Coliseum as well because it closed in 1960s). Wikipedia did not state the date for the park to close. Likely in 1960s also.
The rink may have been part of where Iceland ice rink during winter but I am not sure, it may have had separate building right near it because it was both completely gone in the 1974 photo. The 1957 photo showed both rinks there before Iceland burned down. The 1970s photo showed the drive-in theater at Carlin's Park.
There is a historical map website but it is the worst ever because too many copyright material and the website name running all over and it did not give a very clear good photo of the rink. It sat where it was replaced by the Carlin's Drive-in theater because of the fire in 1956 burned Iceland down. The rink adjunct to the ice rink was torn down to make way for the drive-in in 1957. See Historical Aerial website for the map and be sure you see it in the year 1957 and compare that to 1964.
Today it is an industrial park.
Rink Size: 17,000 SF Floor: Wood, likely Maple. Floor Layout: N/A
Building Size: N/A Built: N/A Demolished: Likely during 1960s.
Type of Building: N/A
Roof: N/A
Acres: N/A
Operated: Amusement park: c. August 13, 1919 to c. 1957
Rink: 1922 or 1926 to 1955.
Reason for Closure: Declining due to owner's death, fire to the Carlin's Iceland ice rink, and the new Civic Center which drew many recreational activities and professional teams playing there in 1960s.
Wanted: Information regarding photos both interior and exterior.
Sources: Kidstuffs, Wikipedia, Maryland Historical Society (originally published in magazine,
Maryland Historical Magazine, Vol. 113, No.1, Spring/Summer 2018.), Historical Aerial website (be sure you click the year 1957 photograph, Drive-in.org,
© 2019-2020 Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved.
Carlin's Park was an amusement park which was established by John J. Carlin in 1918 in Baltimore, Maryland and it had roller coaster, drive-in theater, several rides, including teacup (Sound familiar? Way before Disney had them!)
The rink was established as well on or after 1918. This amusement park did not have much information compared to other old amusement parks that had more history to it. Mr. Carlin renovated the Arena Theater which was literally a stage/film theater and removed seating in 1926 and installed 17,000 SF Maple floor for a roller rink according to the book Historic Amusement Parks of Baltimore by John P. Coleman on page 58 (information provided by Maryland Historical Society). There was quite interesting extra information that may have contradicted or may have built another skating rink at the same amusement park. It was 1922 that it was built by Carlin as reported in The Baltimore Sun. Unfortunately, the heirs of the park shut it down for good in 1955 due to a fire in the mid-way.
The park started to see itself declined starting with John J. Carlin's death in May 1954 followed by a fire at Carlin's Iceland ice rink. Then the final blow was when Baltimore built a new Civic Arena to replace many recreational facilities (May have hurt the Coliseum as well because it closed in 1960s). Wikipedia did not state the date for the park to close. Likely in 1960s also.
The rink may have been part of where Iceland ice rink during winter but I am not sure, it may have had separate building right near it because it was both completely gone in the 1974 photo. The 1957 photo showed both rinks there before Iceland burned down. The 1970s photo showed the drive-in theater at Carlin's Park.
There is a historical map website but it is the worst ever because too many copyright material and the website name running all over and it did not give a very clear good photo of the rink. It sat where it was replaced by the Carlin's Drive-in theater because of the fire in 1956 burned Iceland down. The rink adjunct to the ice rink was torn down to make way for the drive-in in 1957. See Historical Aerial website for the map and be sure you see it in the year 1957 and compare that to 1964.
Today it is an industrial park.
Rink Size: 17,000 SF Floor: Wood, likely Maple. Floor Layout: N/A
Building Size: N/A Built: N/A Demolished: Likely during 1960s.
Type of Building: N/A
Roof: N/A
Acres: N/A
Operated: Amusement park: c. August 13, 1919 to c. 1957
Rink: 1922 or 1926 to 1955.
Reason for Closure: Declining due to owner's death, fire to the Carlin's Iceland ice rink, and the new Civic Center which drew many recreational activities and professional teams playing there in 1960s.
Wanted: Information regarding photos both interior and exterior.
Sources: Kidstuffs, Wikipedia, Maryland Historical Society (originally published in magazine,
Maryland Historical Magazine, Vol. 113, No.1, Spring/Summer 2018.), Historical Aerial website (be sure you click the year 1957 photograph, Drive-in.org,
© 2019-2020 Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved.