Expo Roller Rink Pittsburgh, PA. This was taken in 1898 before the major fire swept the entire expo and neighborhood. Pretty much all glass and Steel girders. It had 4 spires and the original name was actually the Hippodrome. Interesting choice of transportation in this photo. In 1898, pretty much a lot of people still using horses and you can see 4 horses hauling a big trailer. But the vehicle sort of behind it was not a regular car. It was some kind of earth moving. Source: Wikipedia.
Expo Roller Rink Pittsburgh, PA. The newly rebuilt Expo Main Building. Nicer looking and has mixture of styles. A little Italiante, American, Gothic all thrown in. Source: Pittsburgh Hockey website.
Expo Roller Rink Pittsburgh, PA. As you can see the Main Hall is on lower right side that has a large window near the roof. That showed where the interior part seen in a postcard postmarked in 1909 (see 2 photos below). Roller coaster is seen on bottom left. Cross the river was the home of the MLB Pittsburgh Pirates! Source: Pittsburgh Hockey website.
Expo Roller Rink Pittsburgh, PA. Taken in 1907. Source: Pittsburgh Hockey website.
Expo Roller Rink Pittsburgh, PA. The only source I ever found-- this postcard showed proof of roller skating in the Pittsburgh Expo Main Hall! Look at the ceiling and the wall in background. It appeared to match to the second photo from the top. Postmarked in 1909. Source: Pinterest.
Expo Roller Rink Pittsburgh, PA. The demolish of all buildings to make way for 37 Acres Point State Park where the water fountain is. Source: Pittsburgh Hockey website.
Expo Roller Rink Pittsburgh, PA. The map to the Point State Park where the old Main Expo building was. Source: Google Images.
Expo Roller Rink Pittsburgh, PA. The main building became The Winter Garden for hockey. A famed player was playing that day at the Main Hall/Winter Garden. The very same player is in several Hockey Hall of Fames. In fact, there is Hobey Baker Award. Tickets were available at two major department stores -- Spalding's and Kaufmann's. Source: Pittsburgh Hockey website.
Expo Roller Rink Pittsburgh, PA
The Winter Garden Pittsburgh, PA
The Winter Garden Pittsburgh, PA
Expo Roller Rink was also known as Pittsburgh Roller Skating Rink in the well known Pittsburgh Exposition in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Well it was dreamed and realized in 1885 to built such a building with the name Pittsburgh Exposition. The organizers for this building wanted this to built. And it did happen.
Originally to have a feel of a county fair or a state fair feel to it but it ended up as Indoor Roller Rink. Roller Hockey was the choice as well as Roller Skating.
The organization, the Western Pennsylvania Exposition Society, a year later got approval from the city council and had Lifetime membership and other fund raising topped 1 Million USD which would be enough to built such massive building.
The city council approved the purchase of land at the Point along the shore of the Allegheny River and granted a lease for 50 years. Joseph Stillburg was the architect for the buildings, Murphy & Hamilton built the main building
Finally, in September 1889, the first Exposition was held. The Exposition was in operations for two months every autumn. During its peak at the turn of the century, they had a daily average attendance of 10,000 which is a pretty huge number of attendance at the time. Many kinds of major trade shows were held there. This would have in my opinion, the Las Vegas of the East for trade shows at the time.
The expo center was more of an amusement park because they had a roller coaster, a Ferris wheel and a merry-go-round provided on the grounds.
This was a trade show mecca like Las Vegas today does. Many trade show attendances, skaters, and families came up on their houseboats, boats, and other water transportation came up along the Mississippi River and Ohio River to attend the Expo.
The majority of the complex was destroyed by a fire on St. Patrick’s Day in 1901. Wind-blown embers from a stable fire on Duquesne Way engulfed the great Main Hall. Machinery Hall was the only surviving building on the six acre site. But at a tune of 600,000 USD, they quickly rebuilt the complex and reopened as soon as possible.
The new Main Hall was constructed of steel, stone and massive brick walls. It had heavy doors were adorned with cut white stone and the interior was smartly decorated and illuminated by 1,500 incandescent lights under a vaulted and girdered ceiling.
But it was converted to an ice rink. After the Exposition of 1915, chiller pipes and concrete were added to the floor of the Main Hall to convert it into an impressive sheet of ice.
This showed the end of roller skating and the ushering in ice rink. It became The Winter Garden in 1915.
Then it went down hill from that point on. The last local hockey match was played in the spring of 1920. An agreement of sale of the Exposition property was reported in the April 9, 1920 edition of The Pittsburgh Gazette, but a transfer was never finalized. Pittsburgh city council agreed to an annual lease of $30,000 and used the Expo property for the city’s auto pound. It was no longer an auditorium. It became a pound!
The Music Hall was demolished in 1941 and Machinery Hall was dismantled in 1942 to secure scrap metal for the World War II effort.
The Main Hall was the last remaining building until July 2, 1951 when the structure was torn down to make way for the 37-acre Point State Park.
Local businessman Henry J. Heinz was the last elected president of the society. Henry J. Heinz who was the very same manufactured your favorite ketchup products!
The Interior.
Expo Roller Rink: The massive 100,000 Square Feet building was served as roller rink during period other than the Expo they had annually for two months in the fall. Likely the rink actually took part of the building, not the whole building because of the postcard showed exactly where and the exterior postcard in color showed the roofline. You can compare with description above for more details. The floor was like Maple Rotunda because it is clearly seen in the postcard.
After the fire, they rebuilt the Expo Hall and it was perhaps different layout of wood. It also had heavy doors were adorned with cut white stone and the interior was smartly decorated and illuminated by 1,500 incandescent lights under a vaulted and girdered ceiling. (After the fire)
If I know the ice sheet for the Winter Garden, likely roller rink was about the same size at 140 Feet Wide by 300 Feet!
The Winter Garden: In 1915, the roller rink was not in business anymore and they converted the Hall into The Winter Garden for Ice Hockey. Three semi-pro teams played there for 5 years. it was closed in 1920.
The auditorium seating was pretty much high above the main floor as you can see the postcard. That was for the roller rink but I am sure it was the same for Ice rink as well as for Ice Hockey games.
The ice sheet was sized at 140 Feet x 300 Feet which was extremely large for hockey! Home advantage!
The Exterior.
Expo Roller Rink: The original building was built and opened in September 1889 But on St. Patrick's Day 17 March 1901, it burned along with several other buildings because of a fire spread in the neighborhood. The new rebuilt as you can see in postcards are all stronger. Bricks, Concrete, and Steel Girders were used. They sure did learn lesson from the Three Little Pig story. Many cities have such laws on the books now with requirements for codes because of fires. Not always work (Remember 9/11/2001?) so it was built for better safety codes.
The Winter Garden: Same as the 1901 rebuilt.
The Stats:
Expo Roller Rink: (Roller)
Rink Size: Perhaps 140 Feet x 300 Feet Floor: Likely non-painted Hardwood Maple. Floor Layout: Rotunda.
The Winter Garden: (ice)
Rink Size: 140 Feet x 300 Feet Floor: ICE Floor Layout: Hockey layout (Pre-NHL standards).
Building Size: 100,000 SF (largest for a rink at the time). Built: Fall 1889. Renovations: N/A. Demolished: FIRE 17 March 1901. Rebuilt: 1901. Renovated: 1915 into ice rink. Demolished: 05 July 1951.
Type of Building: (Based on rebuilt): Free-Span Steel Trusses Concrete and Bricks - Walled Expo Center - like Building.
Roof: Mixed (but the rink part has Monitor style Roof).
Acres: 6.0000 AC. (Included 2 other buildings- Machinery Hall, Music Hall, and 3 amusement park rides.) Now a park with 37 Acres.
Organ: N/A.
Architect: Joseph Stillburg.
Builder: Murphy & Hamilton built the main building
Operated: (Overall)-- Fall 1889 to 17 March 1901, Late 1901 to 1915, (ice:) 1915 to 1920.
Expo Roller Rink: (Roller): Fall 1889 to 17 March 1901, back again late 1901 to 1915.
The Winter Garden: (ice): 1915 to 1920.
Main Hall: Fall 1889 to 17 March 1901, rebuilt- late 1901 to 02 July, 1951.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, 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. You can also use this form.
Sources:
Pittsburgh Hockey - History about the Main Hall.
Wikipedia - Hobey Baker.
Wikipedia - Main Hall/Winter Garden.
Date of issue: 29 January 2022.
For office use only: 7.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.
Originally to have a feel of a county fair or a state fair feel to it but it ended up as Indoor Roller Rink. Roller Hockey was the choice as well as Roller Skating.
The organization, the Western Pennsylvania Exposition Society, a year later got approval from the city council and had Lifetime membership and other fund raising topped 1 Million USD which would be enough to built such massive building.
The city council approved the purchase of land at the Point along the shore of the Allegheny River and granted a lease for 50 years. Joseph Stillburg was the architect for the buildings, Murphy & Hamilton built the main building
Finally, in September 1889, the first Exposition was held. The Exposition was in operations for two months every autumn. During its peak at the turn of the century, they had a daily average attendance of 10,000 which is a pretty huge number of attendance at the time. Many kinds of major trade shows were held there. This would have in my opinion, the Las Vegas of the East for trade shows at the time.
The expo center was more of an amusement park because they had a roller coaster, a Ferris wheel and a merry-go-round provided on the grounds.
This was a trade show mecca like Las Vegas today does. Many trade show attendances, skaters, and families came up on their houseboats, boats, and other water transportation came up along the Mississippi River and Ohio River to attend the Expo.
The majority of the complex was destroyed by a fire on St. Patrick’s Day in 1901. Wind-blown embers from a stable fire on Duquesne Way engulfed the great Main Hall. Machinery Hall was the only surviving building on the six acre site. But at a tune of 600,000 USD, they quickly rebuilt the complex and reopened as soon as possible.
The new Main Hall was constructed of steel, stone and massive brick walls. It had heavy doors were adorned with cut white stone and the interior was smartly decorated and illuminated by 1,500 incandescent lights under a vaulted and girdered ceiling.
But it was converted to an ice rink. After the Exposition of 1915, chiller pipes and concrete were added to the floor of the Main Hall to convert it into an impressive sheet of ice.
This showed the end of roller skating and the ushering in ice rink. It became The Winter Garden in 1915.
Then it went down hill from that point on. The last local hockey match was played in the spring of 1920. An agreement of sale of the Exposition property was reported in the April 9, 1920 edition of The Pittsburgh Gazette, but a transfer was never finalized. Pittsburgh city council agreed to an annual lease of $30,000 and used the Expo property for the city’s auto pound. It was no longer an auditorium. It became a pound!
The Music Hall was demolished in 1941 and Machinery Hall was dismantled in 1942 to secure scrap metal for the World War II effort.
The Main Hall was the last remaining building until July 2, 1951 when the structure was torn down to make way for the 37-acre Point State Park.
Local businessman Henry J. Heinz was the last elected president of the society. Henry J. Heinz who was the very same manufactured your favorite ketchup products!
The Interior.
Expo Roller Rink: The massive 100,000 Square Feet building was served as roller rink during period other than the Expo they had annually for two months in the fall. Likely the rink actually took part of the building, not the whole building because of the postcard showed exactly where and the exterior postcard in color showed the roofline. You can compare with description above for more details. The floor was like Maple Rotunda because it is clearly seen in the postcard.
After the fire, they rebuilt the Expo Hall and it was perhaps different layout of wood. It also had heavy doors were adorned with cut white stone and the interior was smartly decorated and illuminated by 1,500 incandescent lights under a vaulted and girdered ceiling. (After the fire)
If I know the ice sheet for the Winter Garden, likely roller rink was about the same size at 140 Feet Wide by 300 Feet!
The Winter Garden: In 1915, the roller rink was not in business anymore and they converted the Hall into The Winter Garden for Ice Hockey. Three semi-pro teams played there for 5 years. it was closed in 1920.
The auditorium seating was pretty much high above the main floor as you can see the postcard. That was for the roller rink but I am sure it was the same for Ice rink as well as for Ice Hockey games.
The ice sheet was sized at 140 Feet x 300 Feet which was extremely large for hockey! Home advantage!
The Exterior.
Expo Roller Rink: The original building was built and opened in September 1889 But on St. Patrick's Day 17 March 1901, it burned along with several other buildings because of a fire spread in the neighborhood. The new rebuilt as you can see in postcards are all stronger. Bricks, Concrete, and Steel Girders were used. They sure did learn lesson from the Three Little Pig story. Many cities have such laws on the books now with requirements for codes because of fires. Not always work (Remember 9/11/2001?) so it was built for better safety codes.
The Winter Garden: Same as the 1901 rebuilt.
The Stats:
Expo Roller Rink: (Roller)
Rink Size: Perhaps 140 Feet x 300 Feet Floor: Likely non-painted Hardwood Maple. Floor Layout: Rotunda.
The Winter Garden: (ice)
Rink Size: 140 Feet x 300 Feet Floor: ICE Floor Layout: Hockey layout (Pre-NHL standards).
Building Size: 100,000 SF (largest for a rink at the time). Built: Fall 1889. Renovations: N/A. Demolished: FIRE 17 March 1901. Rebuilt: 1901. Renovated: 1915 into ice rink. Demolished: 05 July 1951.
Type of Building: (Based on rebuilt): Free-Span Steel Trusses Concrete and Bricks - Walled Expo Center - like Building.
Roof: Mixed (but the rink part has Monitor style Roof).
Acres: 6.0000 AC. (Included 2 other buildings- Machinery Hall, Music Hall, and 3 amusement park rides.) Now a park with 37 Acres.
Organ: N/A.
Architect: Joseph Stillburg.
Builder: Murphy & Hamilton built the main building
Operated: (Overall)-- Fall 1889 to 17 March 1901, Late 1901 to 1915, (ice:) 1915 to 1920.
Expo Roller Rink: (Roller): Fall 1889 to 17 March 1901, back again late 1901 to 1915.
The Winter Garden: (ice): 1915 to 1920.
Main Hall: Fall 1889 to 17 March 1901, rebuilt- late 1901 to 02 July, 1951.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, 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. You can also use this form.
Sources:
Pittsburgh Hockey - History about the Main Hall.
Wikipedia - Hobey Baker.
Wikipedia - Main Hall/Winter Garden.
Date of issue: 29 January 2022.
For office use only: 7.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.