© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. Sorry no pictures.
Jake Town Rink Woodbury Pike, Murfreesboro, TN
Robert Lee Jakes founded Jake Town Roller Rink on Woodbury Pike in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Robert Lee opened the rink in 1940s and it was a small rink. Someone said it was 50 feet by 75 feet which is rather small by its standards back the day or rather, common. It was a very popular indoor rink at the time. And crowded. It was in a frame building with a hardwood floor that was eventually replaced with masonite.
What lead this rink demise was the fact that there were a lot of violence and fighting. It was located on the northwest corner of the Travis Court intersection.
Behind the rink, Jakes operated an auto salvage business.
Some of the regulars at Bud Mitchell’s Tire Store (still operational) explain that “a lot of fighting went on” at the rink. Ed “Smut” Smotherman recalls that on one occasion Leslie Harris got crossed up with some of the Walter Hill boys and went to the hospital with a gaping slash across his stomach. Harrell remembers that the Edwards brothers from Westvue were good skaters but usually came to the rink “looking for girls and fights. One of those Edwards boys got in a fight with Cleve Messick and broke Cleve’s nose.” -- Rutherford in History.
According to [Smut] Smotherman, violence was one of the reasons the rink closed. (Jakes also operated a restaurant and truck stop on Northwest Broad across from the old General Electric site.) -- Rutherford in History.
My opinion about the fights. This is not 2020s. This was 1940s with the fighting! Ricidious! This is one of many reasons why RSROA --Roller Skating Rinks Operators of America was formed to prevent fighting. It worked well until the association was dissolved in 1980s and the current group RSAI - Roller Skating Association International was formed but they evolved eventually. Now the rinks are facing the problems again. RSAI needs to review the RSROA's reports if any and review police reports and come up with new security measures. They already do have them but its very expensive to have high security measures such as hiring off duty police officers, para-military security with full gear similar to police. It is difficult now you have to hire more staff not just for TSA style security (airport security), but also you have to consider health security forces to crack down on illness outbreaks in roller rinks. It is a headache. This needs to be addressed for modern rinks. This rink was one of "classic" case of why it closed for good. It is a good review to know about such violence. It is sad there were shooting like the Skateland in Alaska with a man shooting and killing a taxi cab driver at the rink and injured a few others. And a major fight at another rink that forced the rink to close because the sheriff blamed on the music at the rink. That one needed to be addressed because I have to side with the sheriff that the music they do play today HAS intended toward violence and immoral issues such as childhood sex, and hollywood influence to sexized children. As a Christian, those music do need to be stopped. Only allow good clean music, from children music up to adult Christian music. And Pops and Orchestra/Big Band Oldies as well as Jazz and Blues and Organ music.
The good thing coming out with the COVID requirement is now you have to reserve your ticket to go skating at your rink and they can have your name, address, and all and if there is violence, they can track you down easily which means gangs will not be able to go to rinks as much anymore because they will not want to reveal their names at all. Think about that. That is a good news, I hope!
The Interior.
N/A.
The Exterior.
N/A.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Clear, coated, Maple, later Masonite. Floor Layout: Maple: N/A. Masonite: Standard.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Demolished: Yes, demolished but the date is unknown.
Type of Building: N/A.
Roof: N/A.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: (Overall)-- 1940s - 1960s.
Reason for Closure: One of the reason was violence occurred often at the rink.
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: Rutherford in History;
Date of issue: 16 April 2021.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:16.
Robert Lee opened the rink in 1940s and it was a small rink. Someone said it was 50 feet by 75 feet which is rather small by its standards back the day or rather, common. It was a very popular indoor rink at the time. And crowded. It was in a frame building with a hardwood floor that was eventually replaced with masonite.
What lead this rink demise was the fact that there were a lot of violence and fighting. It was located on the northwest corner of the Travis Court intersection.
Behind the rink, Jakes operated an auto salvage business.
Some of the regulars at Bud Mitchell’s Tire Store (still operational) explain that “a lot of fighting went on” at the rink. Ed “Smut” Smotherman recalls that on one occasion Leslie Harris got crossed up with some of the Walter Hill boys and went to the hospital with a gaping slash across his stomach. Harrell remembers that the Edwards brothers from Westvue were good skaters but usually came to the rink “looking for girls and fights. One of those Edwards boys got in a fight with Cleve Messick and broke Cleve’s nose.” -- Rutherford in History.
According to [Smut] Smotherman, violence was one of the reasons the rink closed. (Jakes also operated a restaurant and truck stop on Northwest Broad across from the old General Electric site.) -- Rutherford in History.
My opinion about the fights. This is not 2020s. This was 1940s with the fighting! Ricidious! This is one of many reasons why RSROA --Roller Skating Rinks Operators of America was formed to prevent fighting. It worked well until the association was dissolved in 1980s and the current group RSAI - Roller Skating Association International was formed but they evolved eventually. Now the rinks are facing the problems again. RSAI needs to review the RSROA's reports if any and review police reports and come up with new security measures. They already do have them but its very expensive to have high security measures such as hiring off duty police officers, para-military security with full gear similar to police. It is difficult now you have to hire more staff not just for TSA style security (airport security), but also you have to consider health security forces to crack down on illness outbreaks in roller rinks. It is a headache. This needs to be addressed for modern rinks. This rink was one of "classic" case of why it closed for good. It is a good review to know about such violence. It is sad there were shooting like the Skateland in Alaska with a man shooting and killing a taxi cab driver at the rink and injured a few others. And a major fight at another rink that forced the rink to close because the sheriff blamed on the music at the rink. That one needed to be addressed because I have to side with the sheriff that the music they do play today HAS intended toward violence and immoral issues such as childhood sex, and hollywood influence to sexized children. As a Christian, those music do need to be stopped. Only allow good clean music, from children music up to adult Christian music. And Pops and Orchestra/Big Band Oldies as well as Jazz and Blues and Organ music.
The good thing coming out with the COVID requirement is now you have to reserve your ticket to go skating at your rink and they can have your name, address, and all and if there is violence, they can track you down easily which means gangs will not be able to go to rinks as much anymore because they will not want to reveal their names at all. Think about that. That is a good news, I hope!
The Interior.
N/A.
The Exterior.
N/A.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Clear, coated, Maple, later Masonite. Floor Layout: Maple: N/A. Masonite: Standard.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Demolished: Yes, demolished but the date is unknown.
Type of Building: N/A.
Roof: N/A.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: (Overall)-- 1940s - 1960s.
Reason for Closure: One of the reason was violence occurred often at the rink.
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: Rutherford in History;
Date of issue: 16 April 2021.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:16.