Courtesy of Pinterest. Sticker of the well known rebooted rink.
Photo courtesy of Jonny Barber/Colfaxavenue.com. This is one of earliest photo of the rink. It was in this building that was shared with the old Clarko Hotel as seen in the photo. Only the hotel part was demolished and it was focused on the rink building which is a lot nicer. See next few photos to see how it became. It appeared to be taken in during late 1930s thanks to the automobiles parked in front of the hotel.
Courtesy of ColFax Avenue/Denver Library Western History Collection. Another early photo. Noticed the Clarko Hotel in white (I know, its Black-and-White photo) and the fancier building in the back ground on the left of the photo next to the hotel. This must be taken after the other photo on top because they added marquee upon there as they were upgrading. See the marquee toward the right of the photo. The relocation of the main doors was not until after the demolishing of the hotel. They relocated the front door to the corner where the tall tower part of the building is located. The question is, why did they have main admission through the hotel into a more fancier building rather than have it by the beautiful Red Brick building. I could not tell what style but close to Moorish but has Eastern European feel to it because of the domes on each corner tower with arched trim on each side.
Courtesy of ColFax Avenue. The 1970s. You can tell by the type of picture and color texture. But also thanks to that 1970s white van parked at once popular Red Barn fast food restaurant. The red part on Clarko was an adult video store. yes, adult. The hotel was demolished in 1990.
Courtesy of Way Marking. C. 2000s appearance of the Mammoth Gardens building. Still beautiful but the entrance needs to be changed for the current vendor to put it back. It does look better from that location than the current one. This is my professional courtesy on architecture and design. Can you see this old lady walking with her shopping cart? That was where the old doors were in the revised version of Mammoth Gardens of latter years before the Fillmore. The owners of the Fillmore kept changing the appearance by painting trims, the canopy, etc.
Was this rink about to be ready for the championship? Perhaps because you can see the Red-White-Blue stripes around the rink on the rails. It is a tradition the championships have that. They still do. It was very spacious, with stands! This rink was more geared for shows such as Skating Vanities and competitions. They never had Roller Hockey although the floor size is perfect for that. Too bad they entirely changed the inside the current venue entirely different.
Courtesy of Mark Falso. Photo retouched for clean up. This was the original rebooted look like for the admission. It was a new admission area than it used to be with the Clarko Hotel. Nice beautiful Marquee.
Courtesy of Kenneth Coles/303 Magazine. Noticed the words in Roman Mosaic, "Skate Slowly" was still there on the floor. Partial blocked by a wall.
Billboard Magazine August 31, 1946. A wedding! Oh darn! I sure missed a wedding! I love going to weddings! And receptions too! Wow, many couples met each other at the rink! Wow! I have never been to a wedding at a roller rink and couple on skates. Oh well.
Courtesy of Susan Miller (all three items). Top was a championship booket. Bottom left was a matchbook. Some rinks had matchbooks! Back then you could be allowed to smoke! Cough cough! For a fitness you smoke? No no. Don't smoke! The picture on the right is a game piece that you had to collect M A M M O T H game pieces to win a booklet of free or discount admissions! Ohh, sounds like that board game that two businesses play with to make you collect pieces to win a prize. (McD and TOPS Markets). Sounds like fun for kids to collect and win! I see Susan has the letter T. Anyone else got the rest? Let's put all together and win! Oh wait, Did I miss that because now it is 2020. Oh shucks!
Courtesy of Susan Miller. Of course, this is a better picture back then. You can tell it was 1900s automobiles at the first Mammoth Skating Rink. The admission WAS actually on the front after all. But that must be another admission to the rink through the Clarko Hotel building. Is that right? Noticed the windows were quite big and more to bring in more light. I like that better than the new revised with smaller windows (see bottom).
This is very realistic looking "color" painted postcard. You can see the Clarko Hotel building on the right. You noticed the ground that were bit much lower (by 2 steps lower which is about 16 inches) than the present day. And yes, the present day road had rose too! No kidding! Someday everything is covered just like they are digging out the old Rome under the modern Rome.
Courtesy of Susan Miller. Noticed the windows? Smaller now. And nice bigger 1940s/50s style marquee sign? yeah, this was taken in early 1950s by the looks of automobiles. Fun game, can you name the cars in the picture?
Mammoth Roller Skating Rink 1510 N Clarkson St, Denver, CO
The Mammoth Garden Roller Club 1510 N Clarkson St, Denver, CO (Rebooted) (ICE)
The Mammoth Garden Roller Club 1510 N Clarkson St, Denver, CO (Rebooted) (ICE)
This rink has a huge history and description beyond I can explain but I will explain.
This rink goes far back to 1905 when they started to built but it took them two years to finish and opened the rink in 1907. That is what it began as. The Mammoth Garden Roller Rink. Many sites explains history quite well. Even in Wikipedia!
Ok, here is much to explain. Like I said it was build in 1905 for 1907 opening. The rink operated for a good short years to Spring 1910 as Mammoth Roller Skating Rink. I have no idea why it was short. Beautiful building just for the rink that lasted just four short years! Two years to built this beautiful structure for just four short years.
Then later, in 1910 after it was closed, quickly sold off to an automobile and battery company manufacturing plant. This company had successful electric automobiles but because of several factors that an I.C.E. (gas-powered engines) were improved greatly that people prefer cheaper and better gasoline powered vehicles which drove this company out. It was Fritchle Automobile & Battery Company. The company folded in 1917. Famous electric automobile company with the "hundred miles: vehicle which was meant to be 100 miles on a battery charge.
Well, the company folded in 1917 bringing the building to its standstill or empty till 1935 that a new owner brought the place to reboot as a roller rink once again! This time it was called Mammoth Garden Roller Club (Rink) and it ran well until 1962. Almost 30 years of operating as a rink. The reboot did well. Usually rebooted business, film, TV series, etc failed. Depends on how you look at it.
Anyway, during the time of rebooted rink, they even had the Skating Vanities and the famous Queen of Skating, Gloria Nord at Mammoth Garden Roller Skating Rink. She was to roller skating dancing as Sonja Henie is to ice skating. Oh she was so gorgeous! Oh my! So beautiful that she even skated beautifully. I saw YouTube videos of her, she was that good. Wow. Skating Vanities is to what Ice Follies, Holiday on Ice, and Ice Capades used to do with tours displaying their artistic talents on skates (ice or roller). I posted several YouTube of her skating. One of them the camera man was terrible for not tracking her skating and his cinematography was terrible.
Unfortunately, one comes to an end. Mammoth Garden Rink closed in 1962. It was sold to Colorado Mercantile Company, a storage in the former rink at the time but the company closed it in 1967.
Then a concert promoter, Stuart Green, purchased the center and shortened its name to Mammoth Gardens. It became a night club. The floor perhaps was still there that was a rink, and the abuses of all storage on the floor. However, Stuart closed it in 1970. Perhaps Disco did not catch on quite yet. The 1970s were the hot decade for night clubs (Silver Era as the Golden Era was 1920s to 1940).
During the Bicentennial 1976, the place finally opened up after six years of emptiness, it was a farmer's market but it lasted 4 months. Apparently it did not work out, I believe. Farmer's market was not hot place to go. It was not until 1990s and on.
Once again, the third reboot. It was 1981. It was still called Mammoth Gardens but as a sporting and music venue. It did not last more than 14 months. From 1982 to 1986, it sat empty once again. Real spotty history I tell you. Finally in 1986, Manuel and Magaly Fernandez bought the place and renamed it the Mammoth Events Center.
But in 1999, the Fernandez sold the building to Bill Graham (unrelated to the Late Rev. Billy Graham) Presents. Then with a joint venture with Live Nation, and they re-opened as historic building as the Fillmore Auditorium which still in operations today.
This information I am listing below is made by Little Big Man on the old Fillmore's website with alternations and corrections as well as additions/subtractions in italic.
1907 – 191(0) The building as Mammoth Roller Skating Rink.
1911 – 1917
(Owned by) Fritchle Automobile and Battery Company, electric cars manufacturer capable of traveling 100 miles between charges.
1935 – 1962
As Mammoth Gardens, a first-class sports house offering ice-skating, ho(c)key, ice polo, basketball, wrestling and boxing. During its life, Mammoth Gardens was the home to Denver’s first professional ice hockey and basketball teams. James Brown performed in the room in 1960.
1962 – 1967
Building as a warehouse for Colorado Mercantile Company.
1969 – 1970
Stuart Green bought the building with plans of turning it into a concert venue emulating Bill Graham’s Fillmore in San Francisco; during the next six months, the venue hosted concerts from artists such as the Grateful Dead, The Who and Joe Cocker. The concert venue was blamed by city officials as being the reason for the downfall of the neighborhood; in October of 1970, the building was boarded up.
1976
Briefly opened as “The Market,” where vendors sold many things such as fresh baked goods, produce and arts and crafts (for four months).
1981 – 1982
Mammoth Gardens is opened once again as a facility that would accommodate sporting events, entertainment, music, dancing and restaurants; after only 14 months, the building was again closed because of disagreements between partners.
1986-1998
Mammoth Gardens is purchased by Manuel and Magaly Fernandez and opened as a home for their multi-cultural concerts and dances. In addition, the couple worked with outside promoters to bring to the venue national touring concerts.
1999 (to Present)
Opened as The Fillmore Auditorium where the tradition continues…
History information by Little Big Man.
The Interior.
It was a spacious facility with Hard Maple wood floor with 95 feet x 195 feet long. It was huge and in fact, it had stands for spectators to watch skaters skate. This place had an organ, of course. The floor was Log Cabin layout. It had a lot of large windows to lighten up ths huge facility. It was very much appeared like a convention center rather than a skating rink at the time. The windows were necessary because what I see in the photo was merely much needed because of lack of lightings to brighten the rink. At nights, it was pretty much dimmed and relaxing mood for sure. I am sure they had spot lights for spotting skaters during a show or championship. At the front end where the admission was at the Clarko and the rebooted rink, it had everything there. I am sure the rink was unchanged since 1905! However, it was totally gutted and rebuilt inside for the concert venue. Renovated several times: 1968, 1986, and 1999.
The Exterior.
Originally it was two parts. The beautiful Red-Brick building with very oratory white building. I could not tell what style but close to Moorish Eastern European feel to it because of the domes on each corner tower with arched trim on each side. The admission was through the front of the Clarko Hotel. Yes, it was spelled as Clarko, not Clarke or Clark. The buildings were two different styles. The demolishing of the hotel reduced the size of the building and they relocated the admission to the corner of the building. Likely after the first run between 1907 and 1910 they had that Clarko went several appearance transformation however, it did not become nicer. It was becoming an eyesore because it did not go with the neighborhood and second of all, the hotel building became more of having undesirable businesses there including an adult video store there. Clarko kept its white throughout many decades till around 1970s to paint it as 1970s Yellow then it was demolished for good exposing the unattractive wall of the Mammoth Gardens building (Still will always call it Mammoth, not Fillmore.)
The renovations was major in 1999 moving the entrance from side front to new front on the side.
The only thing left mentioning roller skating was a floor title and it was cut off as seen in the photo. See photo.
The Stats:
Rink Size: 90' X 195' Floor: Maple (Later ice) Floor Layout: Log Cabin.
Seating capacity
Mammoth Skating Rink and Mammoth Garden: 4,500
Fillmore: 3,700
Building Size: N/A Built: 1905 to 1097 Demolished: Only the Clarko Hotel demolished 1990.
Type of Building: Free Span Steel Warehouse Building.
Roof: Gable!
Acres: N/A
Operated:
Mammoth Roller Skating Rink: 1907 to 1910
Fritchle Automobile and Battery Company: 1911 – 1917
Mammoth Gardens: 1935 – 1962, 1969 to October 1970, 1976 (4 months as Farmer's Market) and 1981 – 1982 (14 months), 1986- February 1998
Colorado Mercantile Company: 1962 – 1967
The Fillmore Auditorium: February 1999 (to Present)
Reason for Closure:
Mammoth Roller Skating Rink: 1907 to 1910
Fritchle Automobile and Battery Company: 1911 – 1917
Mammoth Gardens: 1935 – 1962, 1969 to 1970, 1976 (4 months as Farmer's Market) and 1981 – 1982 (14 months), 1986-1998
Colorado Mercantile Company: 1962 – 1967
The Fillmore Auditorium: Still operational today.
N/A
Wanted: Information regarding old photos, postcards, etc.
Sources: Colfax Avenue, Way Marking, Wikipedia on Fillmore, 303 Magazine,
Roller skating Magazine on Gloria Nord, Gloria Nord (YouTube), History on the building,
Wikipedia on Fritchsie and his electric automobiles, Billboard August 31, 1946,
Billboard November 8, 1947, Set List, Colfax Avenue on the Fillmore.,
Uncover Colorado on Fillmore, Westword, AARP, The Know, The Know 2,
Denver Library on Fritchie Automobiles, Susan Miller website,
© 2019-2020 Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved.
This rink goes far back to 1905 when they started to built but it took them two years to finish and opened the rink in 1907. That is what it began as. The Mammoth Garden Roller Rink. Many sites explains history quite well. Even in Wikipedia!
Ok, here is much to explain. Like I said it was build in 1905 for 1907 opening. The rink operated for a good short years to Spring 1910 as Mammoth Roller Skating Rink. I have no idea why it was short. Beautiful building just for the rink that lasted just four short years! Two years to built this beautiful structure for just four short years.
Then later, in 1910 after it was closed, quickly sold off to an automobile and battery company manufacturing plant. This company had successful electric automobiles but because of several factors that an I.C.E. (gas-powered engines) were improved greatly that people prefer cheaper and better gasoline powered vehicles which drove this company out. It was Fritchle Automobile & Battery Company. The company folded in 1917. Famous electric automobile company with the "hundred miles: vehicle which was meant to be 100 miles on a battery charge.
Well, the company folded in 1917 bringing the building to its standstill or empty till 1935 that a new owner brought the place to reboot as a roller rink once again! This time it was called Mammoth Garden Roller Club (Rink) and it ran well until 1962. Almost 30 years of operating as a rink. The reboot did well. Usually rebooted business, film, TV series, etc failed. Depends on how you look at it.
Anyway, during the time of rebooted rink, they even had the Skating Vanities and the famous Queen of Skating, Gloria Nord at Mammoth Garden Roller Skating Rink. She was to roller skating dancing as Sonja Henie is to ice skating. Oh she was so gorgeous! Oh my! So beautiful that she even skated beautifully. I saw YouTube videos of her, she was that good. Wow. Skating Vanities is to what Ice Follies, Holiday on Ice, and Ice Capades used to do with tours displaying their artistic talents on skates (ice or roller). I posted several YouTube of her skating. One of them the camera man was terrible for not tracking her skating and his cinematography was terrible.
Unfortunately, one comes to an end. Mammoth Garden Rink closed in 1962. It was sold to Colorado Mercantile Company, a storage in the former rink at the time but the company closed it in 1967.
Then a concert promoter, Stuart Green, purchased the center and shortened its name to Mammoth Gardens. It became a night club. The floor perhaps was still there that was a rink, and the abuses of all storage on the floor. However, Stuart closed it in 1970. Perhaps Disco did not catch on quite yet. The 1970s were the hot decade for night clubs (Silver Era as the Golden Era was 1920s to 1940).
During the Bicentennial 1976, the place finally opened up after six years of emptiness, it was a farmer's market but it lasted 4 months. Apparently it did not work out, I believe. Farmer's market was not hot place to go. It was not until 1990s and on.
Once again, the third reboot. It was 1981. It was still called Mammoth Gardens but as a sporting and music venue. It did not last more than 14 months. From 1982 to 1986, it sat empty once again. Real spotty history I tell you. Finally in 1986, Manuel and Magaly Fernandez bought the place and renamed it the Mammoth Events Center.
But in 1999, the Fernandez sold the building to Bill Graham (unrelated to the Late Rev. Billy Graham) Presents. Then with a joint venture with Live Nation, and they re-opened as historic building as the Fillmore Auditorium which still in operations today.
This information I am listing below is made by Little Big Man on the old Fillmore's website with alternations and corrections as well as additions/subtractions in italic.
1907 – 191(0) The building as Mammoth Roller Skating Rink.
1911 – 1917
(Owned by) Fritchle Automobile and Battery Company, electric cars manufacturer capable of traveling 100 miles between charges.
1935 – 1962
As Mammoth Gardens, a first-class sports house offering ice-skating, ho(c)key, ice polo, basketball, wrestling and boxing. During its life, Mammoth Gardens was the home to Denver’s first professional ice hockey and basketball teams. James Brown performed in the room in 1960.
1962 – 1967
Building as a warehouse for Colorado Mercantile Company.
1969 – 1970
Stuart Green bought the building with plans of turning it into a concert venue emulating Bill Graham’s Fillmore in San Francisco; during the next six months, the venue hosted concerts from artists such as the Grateful Dead, The Who and Joe Cocker. The concert venue was blamed by city officials as being the reason for the downfall of the neighborhood; in October of 1970, the building was boarded up.
1976
Briefly opened as “The Market,” where vendors sold many things such as fresh baked goods, produce and arts and crafts (for four months).
1981 – 1982
Mammoth Gardens is opened once again as a facility that would accommodate sporting events, entertainment, music, dancing and restaurants; after only 14 months, the building was again closed because of disagreements between partners.
1986-1998
Mammoth Gardens is purchased by Manuel and Magaly Fernandez and opened as a home for their multi-cultural concerts and dances. In addition, the couple worked with outside promoters to bring to the venue national touring concerts.
1999 (to Present)
Opened as The Fillmore Auditorium where the tradition continues…
History information by Little Big Man.
The Interior.
It was a spacious facility with Hard Maple wood floor with 95 feet x 195 feet long. It was huge and in fact, it had stands for spectators to watch skaters skate. This place had an organ, of course. The floor was Log Cabin layout. It had a lot of large windows to lighten up ths huge facility. It was very much appeared like a convention center rather than a skating rink at the time. The windows were necessary because what I see in the photo was merely much needed because of lack of lightings to brighten the rink. At nights, it was pretty much dimmed and relaxing mood for sure. I am sure they had spot lights for spotting skaters during a show or championship. At the front end where the admission was at the Clarko and the rebooted rink, it had everything there. I am sure the rink was unchanged since 1905! However, it was totally gutted and rebuilt inside for the concert venue. Renovated several times: 1968, 1986, and 1999.
The Exterior.
Originally it was two parts. The beautiful Red-Brick building with very oratory white building. I could not tell what style but close to Moorish Eastern European feel to it because of the domes on each corner tower with arched trim on each side. The admission was through the front of the Clarko Hotel. Yes, it was spelled as Clarko, not Clarke or Clark. The buildings were two different styles. The demolishing of the hotel reduced the size of the building and they relocated the admission to the corner of the building. Likely after the first run between 1907 and 1910 they had that Clarko went several appearance transformation however, it did not become nicer. It was becoming an eyesore because it did not go with the neighborhood and second of all, the hotel building became more of having undesirable businesses there including an adult video store there. Clarko kept its white throughout many decades till around 1970s to paint it as 1970s Yellow then it was demolished for good exposing the unattractive wall of the Mammoth Gardens building (Still will always call it Mammoth, not Fillmore.)
The renovations was major in 1999 moving the entrance from side front to new front on the side.
The only thing left mentioning roller skating was a floor title and it was cut off as seen in the photo. See photo.
The Stats:
Rink Size: 90' X 195' Floor: Maple (Later ice) Floor Layout: Log Cabin.
Seating capacity
Mammoth Skating Rink and Mammoth Garden: 4,500
Fillmore: 3,700
Building Size: N/A Built: 1905 to 1097 Demolished: Only the Clarko Hotel demolished 1990.
Type of Building: Free Span Steel Warehouse Building.
Roof: Gable!
Acres: N/A
Operated:
Mammoth Roller Skating Rink: 1907 to 1910
Fritchle Automobile and Battery Company: 1911 – 1917
Mammoth Gardens: 1935 – 1962, 1969 to October 1970, 1976 (4 months as Farmer's Market) and 1981 – 1982 (14 months), 1986- February 1998
Colorado Mercantile Company: 1962 – 1967
The Fillmore Auditorium: February 1999 (to Present)
Reason for Closure:
Mammoth Roller Skating Rink: 1907 to 1910
Fritchle Automobile and Battery Company: 1911 – 1917
Mammoth Gardens: 1935 – 1962, 1969 to 1970, 1976 (4 months as Farmer's Market) and 1981 – 1982 (14 months), 1986-1998
Colorado Mercantile Company: 1962 – 1967
The Fillmore Auditorium: Still operational today.
N/A
Wanted: Information regarding old photos, postcards, etc.
Sources: Colfax Avenue, Way Marking, Wikipedia on Fillmore, 303 Magazine,
Roller skating Magazine on Gloria Nord, Gloria Nord (YouTube), History on the building,
Wikipedia on Fritchsie and his electric automobiles, Billboard August 31, 1946,
Billboard November 8, 1947, Set List, Colfax Avenue on the Fillmore.,
Uncover Colorado on Fillmore, Westword, AARP, The Know, The Know 2,
Denver Library on Fritchie Automobiles, Susan Miller website,
© 2019-2020 Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved.