Courtesy of Milford Ozone, Friday, January 30th, 1885. This explained the start up and construction.
Courtesy of Milford Ozone, Friday, February 6th, 1885. Cover story.
Milford Skating Rink Milford, NE
This rink was built and opened in 1885 in Milford, Nebraska. Wow, long ago!
The construction ran till February 1885 and it was located Just east of Bowker's Livery Stables. The cost of construction was merely 700 Dollars! That would equal to 18,667.48 USD in 2020! (Inflation in 1885 was MINUS 1.02 percent compared to now 2.33 percent inflation). You have to remember why it was cheap. The building was small. At 30' at 90' so give or take around 30 feet wide and maybe 70 feet long. That is a small rink. Today rinks are more than doubled. The price if he did would cost him 1,400 USD (adjusted to 37,000 USD). Still dirt cheap! Today's rinks cost 1 to 2 million Dollars.
It was opened on Wednesday February 4th, 1885 by owner C.H. Smith. Said to be a huge success at grand opening. Roller Skating was still new recreational activity after it was invented in 1860s. I mean the modern Quads we all knew. At the time, Ten Cents was the admission cost and then another Ten Cents for the rental of skates! Talk about equal cost. Image today rinks would change 10 Dollars admission and 10 Dollars for renting Skates. Woo, expensive! I remember in 1970s, for skiing for me, Cost for a lift pass for the day was 5 Dollars (student cost) and another 5 for Ski rental.
Today is quite different than it used to be with costs. I am not referring to the increased price only. I am referring to the cost of rental. Since 1970s, many rinks rentals were 1 to 3 Dollars each and some now more than 3 Dollars.
W.C. Smiley was his manager.
The ad for the rink... wow, twice a week they had "Ladies' Night"! That was very unusual! Why? that sounded so 20th Century night clubs that they needed to try to attract women to the bars and clubs. Even for roller rink in 1885!? I sure missed my opportunity by a hundred years too late! hahaha. Well, I did not have too much difficulty meeting the ladies in the late 1970s and 1980s and early 1990s. I had three girlfriends as resulted from meeting them at rinks. One at Empire, two from Sports. Dated all in 1980s. And no, I did not marry one of them. One just wanted to break up with me for no reason and the other two--she was from out of state and never heard again and the third one she was not ready. Oh well. But there was one I really liked.. but never seen her again.. that December 1990 at a Christian skate night when I was working at Sports-O-Rama.. Hmm. Never forgot her name-Michelle. Oh well!
And yes, I had at least few hundred females to couple skate. About 3 ladies per session. Do the math. Every Friday and Saturday nights--well, almost.
Back to this...
Noticed they closed on Sunday. That is because back then everyone closed on Sundays to honor God.
The Interior.
The entire floorplan had 30 feet by 90 feet however, the rink was actually 30 feet x 82 feet because of 8 feet of office and skate rental room. Entire floor was Maple hard wood floor. 2 feet each side room for a row of chairs inside the rink against the walls. The office and skate room were on south side of the building. This made only 26 feet wide to skate! That would be 13 feet halves of the rink! That was TIGHT! It also had portable stage for other entertainment needs. (wow, do they have room for that!?)
The Exterior.
30' x 90' size building. Perhaps very simple design hence low price. It was a low budged rink. Appearance is unknown.
The Stats:
Rink Size: 30' x 82' Floor: Maple Wood. Floor Layout: N/A
Building Size: 30' x 90' (considered small building!) Built: 1884-February 1885.
Demolished: Likely.
Type of Building: N/A
Roof: N/A
Acres: N/A
Operated: Wednesday February 4th, 1885 to N/A.
Reason for Closure: N/A
Wanted: Information regarding if any, photos, exact date of closure, why closed? What the place was like, everything!
Sources: Milford Ozone, Friday, February 6th, 1885, P. 1 ; Weekly Nebraskan, Friday, March 6th, 1885, Page 3., Weekly Nebraskan, Friday, March 27th, 1885, Page 3.,
© 2019-2020 Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved.
This rink was built and opened in 1885 in Milford, Nebraska. Wow, long ago!
The construction ran till February 1885 and it was located Just east of Bowker's Livery Stables. The cost of construction was merely 700 Dollars! That would equal to 18,667.48 USD in 2020! (Inflation in 1885 was MINUS 1.02 percent compared to now 2.33 percent inflation). You have to remember why it was cheap. The building was small. At 30' at 90' so give or take around 30 feet wide and maybe 70 feet long. That is a small rink. Today rinks are more than doubled. The price if he did would cost him 1,400 USD (adjusted to 37,000 USD). Still dirt cheap! Today's rinks cost 1 to 2 million Dollars.
It was opened on Wednesday February 4th, 1885 by owner C.H. Smith. Said to be a huge success at grand opening. Roller Skating was still new recreational activity after it was invented in 1860s. I mean the modern Quads we all knew. At the time, Ten Cents was the admission cost and then another Ten Cents for the rental of skates! Talk about equal cost. Image today rinks would change 10 Dollars admission and 10 Dollars for renting Skates. Woo, expensive! I remember in 1970s, for skiing for me, Cost for a lift pass for the day was 5 Dollars (student cost) and another 5 for Ski rental.
Today is quite different than it used to be with costs. I am not referring to the increased price only. I am referring to the cost of rental. Since 1970s, many rinks rentals were 1 to 3 Dollars each and some now more than 3 Dollars.
W.C. Smiley was his manager.
The ad for the rink... wow, twice a week they had "Ladies' Night"! That was very unusual! Why? that sounded so 20th Century night clubs that they needed to try to attract women to the bars and clubs. Even for roller rink in 1885!? I sure missed my opportunity by a hundred years too late! hahaha. Well, I did not have too much difficulty meeting the ladies in the late 1970s and 1980s and early 1990s. I had three girlfriends as resulted from meeting them at rinks. One at Empire, two from Sports. Dated all in 1980s. And no, I did not marry one of them. One just wanted to break up with me for no reason and the other two--she was from out of state and never heard again and the third one she was not ready. Oh well. But there was one I really liked.. but never seen her again.. that December 1990 at a Christian skate night when I was working at Sports-O-Rama.. Hmm. Never forgot her name-Michelle. Oh well!
And yes, I had at least few hundred females to couple skate. About 3 ladies per session. Do the math. Every Friday and Saturday nights--well, almost.
Back to this...
Noticed they closed on Sunday. That is because back then everyone closed on Sundays to honor God.
The Interior.
The entire floorplan had 30 feet by 90 feet however, the rink was actually 30 feet x 82 feet because of 8 feet of office and skate rental room. Entire floor was Maple hard wood floor. 2 feet each side room for a row of chairs inside the rink against the walls. The office and skate room were on south side of the building. This made only 26 feet wide to skate! That would be 13 feet halves of the rink! That was TIGHT! It also had portable stage for other entertainment needs. (wow, do they have room for that!?)
The Exterior.
30' x 90' size building. Perhaps very simple design hence low price. It was a low budged rink. Appearance is unknown.
The Stats:
Rink Size: 30' x 82' Floor: Maple Wood. Floor Layout: N/A
Building Size: 30' x 90' (considered small building!) Built: 1884-February 1885.
Demolished: Likely.
Type of Building: N/A
Roof: N/A
Acres: N/A
Operated: Wednesday February 4th, 1885 to N/A.
Reason for Closure: N/A
Wanted: Information regarding if any, photos, exact date of closure, why closed? What the place was like, everything!
Sources: Milford Ozone, Friday, February 6th, 1885, P. 1 ; Weekly Nebraskan, Friday, March 6th, 1885, Page 3., Weekly Nebraskan, Friday, March 27th, 1885, Page 3.,
© 2019-2020 Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved.