Park Roller Skating Rink 570 Front Street, Columbus, OH. An illustration. The artist error a couple of things. Can you spot them? I do. Answers are shown at bottom. Drawn by an unknown artist. Source: New York Public Library Digital Collection.
Park Roller Skating Rink 570 Front Street, Columbus, OH. This was where the rink was and later it became Columbus Auditorium. Photo taken in 1901. Source: Columbus Library.
Park Roller Skating Rink 570 Front Street, Columbus, OH. This was where the rink was and later it became Columbus Auditorium. Photo taken in 1901. Source: Columbus Library.
Park Roller Skating Rink 570 Front Street, Columbus, OH. Top view taken in 1953. This was where the rink was and later it became Columbus Auditorium. Source: USGS.
Park Roller Skating Rink 570 Front Street, Columbus, OH. Taken in 1957. This was where the rink was and later it became Columbus Auditorium. This was final top view before they demolished to make way for a new highway. Source: USGS.
Park Roller Skating Rink 570 Front Street, Columbus, OH
Columbus Auditorium 570 Front Street, Columbus, OH (Non-Skating)
Columbus Bicycle Stadium 570 Front Street, Columbus, OH (Non-Skating)
Fairmont Arena 570 Front Street, Columbus, OH (Non-Skating)
Columbus Auditorium 570 Front Street, Columbus, OH (Non-Skating)
Columbus Bicycle Stadium 570 Front Street, Columbus, OH (Non-Skating)
Fairmont Arena 570 Front Street, Columbus, OH (Non-Skating)
Park Roller Skating Rink was on 570 Front Street, Columbus, Ohio. You would not find Front Street in Google Map or Mapquest or Yahoo or even Bing Maps. Not even Historical Map. It was called Front Street until 1901 when they renamed it that year to Park Street. It is now 570 Park Street, Columbus, Ohio.
Park Roller Skating Rink began on Tuesday, March 17, 1885 in a unique building. They operated the rink until 1897. They went out of business and the new operators took over and hired renowned team of Architects, Yost and Packard to design into a new auditorium. This became Columbus Auditorium. This is why I included the other businesses after the rink to see the history of the building. More about the architects here in Wikipedia.
The Columbus Auditorium opened on June 24, 1897. It lasted 20 years plus the time they had roof collapse in winter of 1910.
The roof for the auditorium collapsed under a heavy snow load on February 18, 1910. The roof was Mansard style which was not a good idea for the snowbelt region.
Later they also had the Columbus Bicycle Stadium September 29, 1917 (Columbus Dispatch September 30, 1917 p.5), and the Fairmont Arena (Columbus Citizen, September 22, 1917 p.10; Ohio State Journal, March, 20, 1921 p.2 sports).
Both the Columbus Bicycle Stadium and the Fairmont Arena must have been a joint venture in the same building. I wonder why this place had two names. Perhaps the Bicycle Stadium only managed certain days and the Fairmont Arena other days.
The Fairmont Arena was clearly a sporting arena because of the Ohio State Journal publication mentioned it in their sports section on page 2 on March 20, 1921.
After that date, it was gone. The building was demolished in around 1957 to 1962 to make way for a highway, Interstate 670. A bypass.
Timeline --
Building built - 1885.
Park Roller Skating Rink: March 17, 1885 to 1897.
Yost and Packard designed a new renovated auditorium. 1897.
Columbus Auditorium: June 24, 1897 to September 29, 1917.
Columbus Bicycle Stadium: September 29, 1917 to N/A.
Fairmont Arena: September 22, 1917 to N/A.
Demolished - c. 1957 to 1962 to make way for new highway. A new smaller building built on site.
The Interior.
Likely they had Maple floor. Perhaps entire facility. It may have been on upper floor from the look of it. Many rinks in granular places at the time normally have it on second floor for a good reason-- prevent from flooding and climate control. Warmer upstairs since they did not have Central Heating or HVAC- Heating, Venting, Air Conditioning system.
I there is no known photograph of the interior. All is lost unless someone has a photo.
The interior was totaled renovated by the renowned architects, Yost and Packard. They designed the interior to remove that roller rink look and made it into an auditorium to host concerts, theaters, and trade shows.
The Exterior.
Very unique design. The exterior perhaps was designed by a different architect than the Yost & Packard Architect Firm. The style-- I cannot say what it was related to. Of course in 1880s, it would be Edwardian Period however, it was not Edwardian look. It appeared a bit of Spanish Art Nouveau fusion. The front façade was a faux front because you can see the look of those small towers were just a "front" to hide the real Gable roof. You could not see it behind.
Originally it had a unique Mansard Roof for this Free-Span Steel(?) Trusses Blocks-Walled Arena - like Building.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Non-painted, Maple. Floor Layout: Likely Straight.
Building Size: N/A. Built/Renovations: 1885/1897. Rebuilt: (roof) 1910. Demolished: c. 1957-60 (for new highway).
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel(?) Trusses Blocks-Walled Arena - like Building.
Roof: Unique Mansard Roof.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: (Overall)-- March 17, 1885 to 1897.
Park Roller Skating Rink: March 17, 1885 to 1897.
Columbus Auditorium: June 24, 1897 to September 29, 1917.
Columbus Bicycle Stadium: September 29, 1917 to N/A.
Fairmont Arena: September 22, 1917 to N/A.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Park Roller Skating Rink: N/A.
Columbus Auditorium: June 24, 1897 to September 29, 1917.
Columbus Bicycle Stadium: N/A.
Fairmont Arena: N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed for some, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos/articles. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources:
Columbus Library - the Columbus Auditorium.
Yost and Packard.
Wikipedia - Yost and Packard.
NYPL Digital Collection - illustration.
Answers to the errors on illustration:
First, Lack of shadow on the right side of building and tower (compare both towers to see the shadow differences).
Second error, the short two towers with "sparking" lights were drawn like they are actually built full cupolas. The photos proved they were not. Just a fake wall for decorative purposes.
Date of issue: 11 August 2021.
For office use only: 5p. 2 g.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.
Park Roller Skating Rink began on Tuesday, March 17, 1885 in a unique building. They operated the rink until 1897. They went out of business and the new operators took over and hired renowned team of Architects, Yost and Packard to design into a new auditorium. This became Columbus Auditorium. This is why I included the other businesses after the rink to see the history of the building. More about the architects here in Wikipedia.
The Columbus Auditorium opened on June 24, 1897. It lasted 20 years plus the time they had roof collapse in winter of 1910.
The roof for the auditorium collapsed under a heavy snow load on February 18, 1910. The roof was Mansard style which was not a good idea for the snowbelt region.
Later they also had the Columbus Bicycle Stadium September 29, 1917 (Columbus Dispatch September 30, 1917 p.5), and the Fairmont Arena (Columbus Citizen, September 22, 1917 p.10; Ohio State Journal, March, 20, 1921 p.2 sports).
Both the Columbus Bicycle Stadium and the Fairmont Arena must have been a joint venture in the same building. I wonder why this place had two names. Perhaps the Bicycle Stadium only managed certain days and the Fairmont Arena other days.
The Fairmont Arena was clearly a sporting arena because of the Ohio State Journal publication mentioned it in their sports section on page 2 on March 20, 1921.
After that date, it was gone. The building was demolished in around 1957 to 1962 to make way for a highway, Interstate 670. A bypass.
Timeline --
Building built - 1885.
Park Roller Skating Rink: March 17, 1885 to 1897.
Yost and Packard designed a new renovated auditorium. 1897.
Columbus Auditorium: June 24, 1897 to September 29, 1917.
Columbus Bicycle Stadium: September 29, 1917 to N/A.
Fairmont Arena: September 22, 1917 to N/A.
Demolished - c. 1957 to 1962 to make way for new highway. A new smaller building built on site.
The Interior.
Likely they had Maple floor. Perhaps entire facility. It may have been on upper floor from the look of it. Many rinks in granular places at the time normally have it on second floor for a good reason-- prevent from flooding and climate control. Warmer upstairs since they did not have Central Heating or HVAC- Heating, Venting, Air Conditioning system.
I there is no known photograph of the interior. All is lost unless someone has a photo.
The interior was totaled renovated by the renowned architects, Yost and Packard. They designed the interior to remove that roller rink look and made it into an auditorium to host concerts, theaters, and trade shows.
The Exterior.
Very unique design. The exterior perhaps was designed by a different architect than the Yost & Packard Architect Firm. The style-- I cannot say what it was related to. Of course in 1880s, it would be Edwardian Period however, it was not Edwardian look. It appeared a bit of Spanish Art Nouveau fusion. The front façade was a faux front because you can see the look of those small towers were just a "front" to hide the real Gable roof. You could not see it behind.
Originally it had a unique Mansard Roof for this Free-Span Steel(?) Trusses Blocks-Walled Arena - like Building.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Non-painted, Maple. Floor Layout: Likely Straight.
Building Size: N/A. Built/Renovations: 1885/1897. Rebuilt: (roof) 1910. Demolished: c. 1957-60 (for new highway).
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel(?) Trusses Blocks-Walled Arena - like Building.
Roof: Unique Mansard Roof.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: (Overall)-- March 17, 1885 to 1897.
Park Roller Skating Rink: March 17, 1885 to 1897.
Columbus Auditorium: June 24, 1897 to September 29, 1917.
Columbus Bicycle Stadium: September 29, 1917 to N/A.
Fairmont Arena: September 22, 1917 to N/A.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Park Roller Skating Rink: N/A.
Columbus Auditorium: June 24, 1897 to September 29, 1917.
Columbus Bicycle Stadium: N/A.
Fairmont Arena: N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed for some, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos/articles. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources:
Columbus Library - the Columbus Auditorium.
Yost and Packard.
Wikipedia - Yost and Packard.
NYPL Digital Collection - illustration.
Answers to the errors on illustration:
First, Lack of shadow on the right side of building and tower (compare both towers to see the shadow differences).
Second error, the short two towers with "sparking" lights were drawn like they are actually built full cupolas. The photos proved they were not. Just a fake wall for decorative purposes.
Date of issue: 11 August 2021.
For office use only: 5p. 2 g.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.