Photo provided by Larry Millett. Photo repaired by Dead-Rinks. Taken in 1867. The rink Larry was speaking of is the Quonset Hut building! This is one of the earliest building ever built as a Quonset Hut style. SEVENTY years before it was more practical use and the re-invention/re-introduction of the Q-Hut in 1930s. The photographer took this picture where he would be standing on now called Jackson Street and the Q-Hut and that nice looking 5 story building in background was on East 7th Street. The photo today would be comparable. See below. Courtesy of Google Map. Roughly where the same photographer was standing. All of the structures in photo above demolished. Photo untouched is available online through the society.
Crocker Roller Skating Rink 151 East 7th St. (at Jackson St.), St. Paul, MN
St. Paul Pleasure Park 151 East 7th St. (at Jackson St.), St. Paul, MN
St. Paul Pleasure Park 151 East 7th St. (at Jackson St.), St. Paul, MN
This rink, Crocker Roller Skating Rink was likely the first, not where it was. This location Crocker Roller Skating Rink was in Saint Paul, Minnesota, not the one in Minneapolis. That came later. But this was opened in 1860s. Crocker Rink was part of St. Paul Pleasure Park. This was likely more of a park rather than a trolley park or even an amusement park by the look of that photo.
The Q-Hut building where the rink was was next to the well known much larger International House Hotel, which burned down two years later after that photo was taken. It is now where 7th Street curve there as you can see in the present day photo (before a new building being built).
I do not have any more information as I attempted to search more.
The Interior.
Likely Maple floor but not sure, no information.
The Exterior.
One of the first or earliest Q-Hut designed building even way back to 1860s! Wikipedia as I recalled talked about Q-Huts goes far back as 1930s. This debunked Wikipedia that the Q-Hut even went further back. Or even the Nissen Hut but from my observation in the photo, that is Quonset Hut, no question about it. This is a breakthrough that Dead-Rinks discovered! Whoever designed this should have been credited for, not the Quonset, Rhode Island Q-Hut manufacturer in 1930s on. Nope. The credit goes to whoever did the design the Crocker Rink in St. Paul.
I know, this makes you wonder the same as the Time Traveler visiting the Bridge grand opening ceremony controversy. This could be another breakthrough. Did someone time traveled back then and designed this? I have done my research beginning in December 2018 regarding Q-Hut and the Nissen Hut in 1910s which precedes the Q-Hut. A good 50 years after that photograph was taken.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: N/A. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Demolished: N/A.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Truss Steel-Walled Warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Gable.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: N/A.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
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: Larry Millett email; Minnesota Historical Society; Wikipedia - Nissen Hut; Wikipedia - Quonset Hut;
Date of issue: 27 January 2021.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:16.
The Q-Hut building where the rink was was next to the well known much larger International House Hotel, which burned down two years later after that photo was taken. It is now where 7th Street curve there as you can see in the present day photo (before a new building being built).
I do not have any more information as I attempted to search more.
The Interior.
Likely Maple floor but not sure, no information.
The Exterior.
One of the first or earliest Q-Hut designed building even way back to 1860s! Wikipedia as I recalled talked about Q-Huts goes far back as 1930s. This debunked Wikipedia that the Q-Hut even went further back. Or even the Nissen Hut but from my observation in the photo, that is Quonset Hut, no question about it. This is a breakthrough that Dead-Rinks discovered! Whoever designed this should have been credited for, not the Quonset, Rhode Island Q-Hut manufacturer in 1930s on. Nope. The credit goes to whoever did the design the Crocker Rink in St. Paul.
I know, this makes you wonder the same as the Time Traveler visiting the Bridge grand opening ceremony controversy. This could be another breakthrough. Did someone time traveled back then and designed this? I have done my research beginning in December 2018 regarding Q-Hut and the Nissen Hut in 1910s which precedes the Q-Hut. A good 50 years after that photograph was taken.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: N/A. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Demolished: N/A.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Truss Steel-Walled Warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Gable.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: N/A.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
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: Larry Millett email; Minnesota Historical Society; Wikipedia - Nissen Hut; Wikipedia - Quonset Hut;
Date of issue: 27 January 2021.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:16.