Courtesy of Portsmouth Library. It is a post card showing the rink in background on a short cliff where the beach is. I see it does overhang. Amazing ocean did not destroy it but a fire!
Courtesy of Billboard. Dated September 1, 1956 on page 58. This small article explained the fire. Even rain and many firefighters, they could not stop the fire fast. It was apparently very dry wood and perhaps was a electrical fire which can be ongoing or could be gas if they had gas heater back then. They would not go out even its damp and rainy day out.
Island Park Roller Rink Portsmouth, RI
Before the fire destroyed in August 1956, there was a skating rink at this amusement park in Portsmouth, Rhode Island called Island Park Roller Rink and it was not part of the Island Park Dance Hall but part of the amusement park including a roller coaster, a carousel, and a couple more rides and that was it. It was actually began as a trolley park but they converted to an amusement Park.
There was even a rider on a horse diving into the water. A popular attraction perhaps quickly banned. I recalled in a movie of an actress diving with water as part of a stunt in a trolley park. I think Gabrielle Anwar was the actress as I recalled. I could not forget that because that was quite cruel to the horse! I watched because I thought I saw a beautiful actress when I was young man. This has to be in the 1980s. I do not recall the name of the movie.
Anyway, the point here they had some quite different activities at Island Park Amusement Park.
I do not have the date of first set up a roller rink at this amusement park. But I have for the burn down according to Billboard in 1956. The fire was on Thursday August 21, 1956 which entirely destroyed since the entire complex was made of wood. Building and roller rink floor were all wood. Even steady rain and 75 firefighters attempted to dose fire out was not much of a help. They did not know what the case of the fire at the time. To me, my opinion, it could have been electrical because of the dampness of the rain can make electricity travel to wood and some spots were dry like ceiling which was dry. Or the rink floor base under the floor was dry. Could be anything.
The Interior.
For sure it was all wood including the rink floor. Likely Maple or something else.
The Exterior.
It was a house like building. Looks like a Cape Cod but it was a roller rink. All made of wood. Part of an amusement park. It sat overhang the short cliff on the beach similar concept to the dance hall. Not much windows as compared to the dance hall which was quite open.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Wood. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Demolished: by fire Thursday August 21, 1956.
Type of Building: Wood Truss wood-Walled large house - like Building.
Roof: Gable.
Acres: N/A. Part of Island Park Amusement Park.
Operated: N/A to Thursday August 21, 1956.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding actual date of open, closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos.
Anyone has pictures and/or information please let me know at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: Billboard - September 1, 1956, page 58; Portsmouth, RI Library;
© 2019-2020 Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. God Matters. Jn 3:16.
There was even a rider on a horse diving into the water. A popular attraction perhaps quickly banned. I recalled in a movie of an actress diving with water as part of a stunt in a trolley park. I think Gabrielle Anwar was the actress as I recalled. I could not forget that because that was quite cruel to the horse! I watched because I thought I saw a beautiful actress when I was young man. This has to be in the 1980s. I do not recall the name of the movie.
Anyway, the point here they had some quite different activities at Island Park Amusement Park.
I do not have the date of first set up a roller rink at this amusement park. But I have for the burn down according to Billboard in 1956. The fire was on Thursday August 21, 1956 which entirely destroyed since the entire complex was made of wood. Building and roller rink floor were all wood. Even steady rain and 75 firefighters attempted to dose fire out was not much of a help. They did not know what the case of the fire at the time. To me, my opinion, it could have been electrical because of the dampness of the rain can make electricity travel to wood and some spots were dry like ceiling which was dry. Or the rink floor base under the floor was dry. Could be anything.
The Interior.
For sure it was all wood including the rink floor. Likely Maple or something else.
The Exterior.
It was a house like building. Looks like a Cape Cod but it was a roller rink. All made of wood. Part of an amusement park. It sat overhang the short cliff on the beach similar concept to the dance hall. Not much windows as compared to the dance hall which was quite open.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Wood. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Demolished: by fire Thursday August 21, 1956.
Type of Building: Wood Truss wood-Walled large house - like Building.
Roof: Gable.
Acres: N/A. Part of Island Park Amusement Park.
Operated: N/A to Thursday August 21, 1956.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding actual date of open, closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos.
Anyone has pictures and/or information please let me know at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: Billboard - September 1, 1956, page 58; Portsmouth, RI Library;
© 2019-2020 Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. God Matters. Jn 3:16.