This was a very basic lodge like you would find at a state park in the United States. This was the roller rink at the Crystal City Amusement Park. The exact location at the park is unknown. Source: Ok Gen Web.
Electric Amusement Park Rink Crystal City Amusement Park, 4200 Southwest Boulevard, Tulsa, OK
Crystal City Amusement Park Rink Crystal City Amusement Park, 4200 Southwest Boulevard, Tulsa, OK
Crystal City Amusement Park Rink Crystal City Amusement Park, 4200 Southwest Boulevard, Tulsa, OK
Crystal City Amusement Park Rink or before that, known as Electric Amusement Park Rink at the Crystal City Amusement Park, was on 4200 Southwest Boulevard, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Technically, it was on Sapulpa Road at the time before the renaming of the road into Southwest Boulevard. That would be the iconic Route 66 Mother Road. I saw the information the other day it was a roller rink at the Amusement Park. One of the earliest amusement park, not a trolley park because it was on Route 66.
I found this was a rink at this park the other day but I cannot find it today. Strange. But I did remember it said there was a roller rink.
Anyway, I will go ahead and describe here. Originally, it was a different name, Electric Amusement Park. That name usually associated with a lot of electrical connection. Especially lot of Vegas style lights displayed on buildings because lights are still fairly new tradition and widely available at the turn of the century. It was literally right next door when Crystal City Amusement Park opened. Oklahoma was the home to many amusement parks including more well known today as Six Flags Frontier City. It was the Amusement Park Capital of the world at the time and thanks to Route 66. Sadly, it is not the same anymore. It is Orlando, Florida now thanks to Disney established the world's largest and other parks followed in that city.
Well, the owner of the Electric Amusement Park (Established before 1920s then in 1920s, the actual park) then established the Crystal City. They built the park including the skating rink. In 1929, the Electric Amusement Park was absorbed into the park next door and entire park was Crystal City.
From 1920 to 1925, they ran successfully but they ran into financial trouble and so the owners had to hand over to the bank where they loaned the money from. The new owners took over operations by May 1928. It was successful for many more years however, February of 1956, the abandoned bath house was destroyed by fire and the owners announced they would raze the buildings but two months later the Casa Loma dance hall burned. Crystal City was sold to new investors in September of 1958 to build the Crystal City Shopping Center.
This means the rink ran from 1920 to 1925, then reopened in May 1928 till April 1956. Apparently closed for good and sold by 1958..
The Interior.
Since this was in 1920s. Likely the floor was Maple. The layout is unknown. And small rink as well. The interior must be all wood.
The Exterior.
The skating rink appeared to be a Rustic banquet type state park lodge style building with Gable with Valler Roof. Compared to the massive Casa Loma, this rink was small. This seemed to be unfair when they did this because dancing does not need much room compared to roller skating when comparing the two buildings. The location of the rink is unknown after I looked at the maps. Not known.
Color on the outside appeared to be dark so likely it would have been the State Park Forestry Brown walls and stone veneer base.
Also you noticed that they may have had an outdoor smoking area for the time because that section was all screened off and fenced/walled off and only those inside can come out into that area so they can smoke and not have to pay readmission again.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Non-painted Maple. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: c.1920 (?). Demolished: April 1956, by fire.
Type of Building: Appeared to be a Rustic banquet style state park lodge style building.
Roof: Gable with Valler Roof.
Acres: 10.14829 Acres.
Operated: (Overall)-- 1920 to 1925, 1928 to April 1956.
Electric Amusement Park: 1920 to 1925,
Crystal City Amusement Park: 1928 to April 1956.
Reason for Closure:
Electric Amusement Park: Revenues losses, bank seized and sold to new owners.
Crystal City Amusement Park: Fire destroyed several buildings within two months hurts business reopening for season, closed and sold for a shopping mall.
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: Ok Gen Web - Crystal City Amusement Park; Historic Route 66 - the Marker where the Crystal City park was; OK City History - about few parks in the area; Batesline - Crystal City Amusement Park;
OK Historical Society;
Date of issue: 22 May 2021.
For office use only: 1 p.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.
I found this was a rink at this park the other day but I cannot find it today. Strange. But I did remember it said there was a roller rink.
Anyway, I will go ahead and describe here. Originally, it was a different name, Electric Amusement Park. That name usually associated with a lot of electrical connection. Especially lot of Vegas style lights displayed on buildings because lights are still fairly new tradition and widely available at the turn of the century. It was literally right next door when Crystal City Amusement Park opened. Oklahoma was the home to many amusement parks including more well known today as Six Flags Frontier City. It was the Amusement Park Capital of the world at the time and thanks to Route 66. Sadly, it is not the same anymore. It is Orlando, Florida now thanks to Disney established the world's largest and other parks followed in that city.
Well, the owner of the Electric Amusement Park (Established before 1920s then in 1920s, the actual park) then established the Crystal City. They built the park including the skating rink. In 1929, the Electric Amusement Park was absorbed into the park next door and entire park was Crystal City.
From 1920 to 1925, they ran successfully but they ran into financial trouble and so the owners had to hand over to the bank where they loaned the money from. The new owners took over operations by May 1928. It was successful for many more years however, February of 1956, the abandoned bath house was destroyed by fire and the owners announced they would raze the buildings but two months later the Casa Loma dance hall burned. Crystal City was sold to new investors in September of 1958 to build the Crystal City Shopping Center.
This means the rink ran from 1920 to 1925, then reopened in May 1928 till April 1956. Apparently closed for good and sold by 1958..
The Interior.
Since this was in 1920s. Likely the floor was Maple. The layout is unknown. And small rink as well. The interior must be all wood.
The Exterior.
The skating rink appeared to be a Rustic banquet type state park lodge style building with Gable with Valler Roof. Compared to the massive Casa Loma, this rink was small. This seemed to be unfair when they did this because dancing does not need much room compared to roller skating when comparing the two buildings. The location of the rink is unknown after I looked at the maps. Not known.
Color on the outside appeared to be dark so likely it would have been the State Park Forestry Brown walls and stone veneer base.
Also you noticed that they may have had an outdoor smoking area for the time because that section was all screened off and fenced/walled off and only those inside can come out into that area so they can smoke and not have to pay readmission again.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Non-painted Maple. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: c.1920 (?). Demolished: April 1956, by fire.
Type of Building: Appeared to be a Rustic banquet style state park lodge style building.
Roof: Gable with Valler Roof.
Acres: 10.14829 Acres.
Operated: (Overall)-- 1920 to 1925, 1928 to April 1956.
Electric Amusement Park: 1920 to 1925,
Crystal City Amusement Park: 1928 to April 1956.
Reason for Closure:
Electric Amusement Park: Revenues losses, bank seized and sold to new owners.
Crystal City Amusement Park: Fire destroyed several buildings within two months hurts business reopening for season, closed and sold for a shopping mall.
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: Ok Gen Web - Crystal City Amusement Park; Historic Route 66 - the Marker where the Crystal City park was; OK City History - about few parks in the area; Batesline - Crystal City Amusement Park;
OK Historical Society;
Date of issue: 22 May 2021.
For office use only: 1 p.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.