Only known photograph of the front as you can see the fire truck there. Was this the same as massive fire of 1960? Good question. There is one, however, seen in a book about this massive fire. No other photos available. Sorry.
Courtesy of Billboard Magazine. August 9, 1952 issue, page 64.
Billboard. January 19, 1957. Page 54. 3rd column, bottom of page.
Billboard, November 17, 1958. Another ad for sale.
Rex Amusement Center 50 Middle Street, Lowell, MA
Rex Arena 50 Middle Street, Lowell, MA (famously known as...)
Rex Center 50 Middle Street, Lowell, MA
Rex Arena 50 Middle Street, Lowell, MA (famously known as...)
Rex Center 50 Middle Street, Lowell, MA
From 1933 to 1960 Rex Amusement Center or known as Rex Center was an entertainment center and arena in Lowell, Massachusetts. It ended with a fire. How sad.
Rex Center began in the middle of the Great Depression in 1933 just like any other individuals or group of people who started a business in the middle of the Depression to make a buck or two. But this one, an entrepreneur Charles Dancause who was a car dealer founded the center, which opened in the old Prescott Division Plant of Mass Cotton Mills, a renovated mill building. Charles also managed the Rex Center. which had the entertainments including dining (the Rex Grille, which also offered floorshows). Also had bars, a dancing ballroom, a large Duckpin Bowling (65 lanes), roller skating, pool (30 tables), and Turkish baths. There were five banquet halls and banquets, wedding receptions, and other events were held there including boxing, fights, and wrestling. Even semi- pro basketball leagues, and billiard room.
Charles sold his Chevrolet dealership to his brother and built this entertainment center on the Concord River in Lowell. It does sound excellent spot because of the river that people can enjoy entertainment by the water. Charles purchased the old mill and had the top two floors removed to reduce the height of the building so he can have it more modern floorplan layout of true family entertainment center. The real name of the Rex is Rex Amusement Center.
It was a full scale entertainment center. One of the earliest full entertainment and venue/convention center. The arena part there had adjustable seating arrangement from 1,000 to 2,000 patrons watching sporting events.
However, it was not until 1944 that Charles hired Maurice and Ester "Ma" Whitney to manage the rink.
It was said to be somewhat short lived. Charles put up the rink for sale in 1957 and then in 1960, a fire burned down the 27 years old rink.
The Rex Center fire occurred on June 25, 1960. The massive out of control fire continued for several hours, fought by more than 300 firefighters from Lowell and 14 other towns, 16 firefighters were injured, none seriously though. The fire started before 11 a.m. in a boiler room that had been just inspected only the week before. Fueled by freshly lacquered bowling lanes, the fire was out of control by noontime with flames roared beyond 100 feet above the three-story, 300-foot-long building.
The fire raged continuedly out of control for nearly four long hours. Every available firefighter from Lowell and its surrounding communities was called.
The building next to the Rex Center housing the radio station WLLH, an A&P supermarket, and a motor transport company was spared by what The Sun called “one of the greatest concentrations of fire-fighting equipment and men ever seen in Lowell.”
They fought hard to kept the entire downtown from being incinerated because of the buildings in that area were arm length or adjoined.
They found out that the boiler was to be blamed for the fire. It was just inspected one week prior to the fire. Must be something happened afterward that you cannot see what went wrong. It can happen.
Charles was truly broken heart and could not get over with after what happened with the fire. Charles spoke about having to rebuilt the Rex Center, but insurance wouldn’t cover the $1.2 million to rebuilt. He kept the Turkish baths open for a short while after the fire. Charles died two years later. Clearly he was broken heart over his baby or lady-- the Rex Center.
The abandoned building was eventually torn down in 1971 into a parking lot. Later, Wang Laboratories built a training center at the site in 1984, which in 1990 was purchased by Middlesex Community College and is now used as its Lowell campus.
Last note which was interesting: In 1964, Wang Laboratories training center was being under construction, workers unearned a crushed 1957 Cadillac at the site. Was that car inside the building? Or was it buried under the rumble of the fire that it was parked so close to the building? Good question. Well, this artifact, was promptly hauled off to a junkyard in Everett. Who would want to have a crushed 1957 Cadillac? I guess not. That is perhaps why it was hauled off.
Now a Middlesex Community College Lowell Campus.
The Interior.
One of the longest rinks in the world at the time. 280 feet long! 80 feet longer than a NHL rink or slightly longer than an Olympic rink. It even had stands for seating. The rink floor was used as other functions since they shared with other activities such as dancing, boxing, wrestling, wedding venues, and more. It was a truly entertainment/amusement center. They had three stories. Top two which was originally 5 stories as a mill but it was renovated to focus on those three floors because maybe no elevators? Its too much to walk 5 floors in those heavy clothing back the day.
Likely it was on second or third floor for the rink because of first floor had the Rex Grille, a restaurant. And likely bars too. No kidding. That is a lot in a tight spot. It is not like modern day one story entertainment centers which would take up way much space. Unless there is one that has many stories. The rink itself was 65 feet by 280 feet long. Wow, that very long. It is almost the size of the entire building floor would be.
The Exterior.
From what I saw in those photos some of it was bricks, others were stones in Antique Granite Wall style.
The Stats:
Rink Size: 65' x 280' (almost entire floor!) Floor: Wood. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A x 300'. Built: N/A. Demolished: Saturday June 25, 1960 before 11 am by massive fire. Building left abandoned, demolished in 1971.
Type of Building: Free-Span(?) or likely columns-supported Steel Truss Bicks-Walled Storefront - like Building.
Roof: Gable.
Acres: N/A.
Type of Bowling: Duckpin
Lanes: 65
Number Billiards Tables: 30.
Banquet Halls: 5.
A lounge, tavern, and a restaurant.
Operated: 1933 to Saturday June 25, 1960, 11 am (fire)
Reason for Closure: Massive fire destroyed entire building.
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: Lowell Sun newspaper June 12, 2005 - Remember the Rex; Wikipedia - Rex Center;
Billboard - August 9, 1952; Billboard - January 19, 1957; Billboard - November 17, 1958, Page 74, 2nd column;
Date of issue: 13 January 2021.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:16.
Rex Center began in the middle of the Great Depression in 1933 just like any other individuals or group of people who started a business in the middle of the Depression to make a buck or two. But this one, an entrepreneur Charles Dancause who was a car dealer founded the center, which opened in the old Prescott Division Plant of Mass Cotton Mills, a renovated mill building. Charles also managed the Rex Center. which had the entertainments including dining (the Rex Grille, which also offered floorshows). Also had bars, a dancing ballroom, a large Duckpin Bowling (65 lanes), roller skating, pool (30 tables), and Turkish baths. There were five banquet halls and banquets, wedding receptions, and other events were held there including boxing, fights, and wrestling. Even semi- pro basketball leagues, and billiard room.
Charles sold his Chevrolet dealership to his brother and built this entertainment center on the Concord River in Lowell. It does sound excellent spot because of the river that people can enjoy entertainment by the water. Charles purchased the old mill and had the top two floors removed to reduce the height of the building so he can have it more modern floorplan layout of true family entertainment center. The real name of the Rex is Rex Amusement Center.
It was a full scale entertainment center. One of the earliest full entertainment and venue/convention center. The arena part there had adjustable seating arrangement from 1,000 to 2,000 patrons watching sporting events.
However, it was not until 1944 that Charles hired Maurice and Ester "Ma" Whitney to manage the rink.
It was said to be somewhat short lived. Charles put up the rink for sale in 1957 and then in 1960, a fire burned down the 27 years old rink.
The Rex Center fire occurred on June 25, 1960. The massive out of control fire continued for several hours, fought by more than 300 firefighters from Lowell and 14 other towns, 16 firefighters were injured, none seriously though. The fire started before 11 a.m. in a boiler room that had been just inspected only the week before. Fueled by freshly lacquered bowling lanes, the fire was out of control by noontime with flames roared beyond 100 feet above the three-story, 300-foot-long building.
The fire raged continuedly out of control for nearly four long hours. Every available firefighter from Lowell and its surrounding communities was called.
The building next to the Rex Center housing the radio station WLLH, an A&P supermarket, and a motor transport company was spared by what The Sun called “one of the greatest concentrations of fire-fighting equipment and men ever seen in Lowell.”
They fought hard to kept the entire downtown from being incinerated because of the buildings in that area were arm length or adjoined.
They found out that the boiler was to be blamed for the fire. It was just inspected one week prior to the fire. Must be something happened afterward that you cannot see what went wrong. It can happen.
Charles was truly broken heart and could not get over with after what happened with the fire. Charles spoke about having to rebuilt the Rex Center, but insurance wouldn’t cover the $1.2 million to rebuilt. He kept the Turkish baths open for a short while after the fire. Charles died two years later. Clearly he was broken heart over his baby or lady-- the Rex Center.
The abandoned building was eventually torn down in 1971 into a parking lot. Later, Wang Laboratories built a training center at the site in 1984, which in 1990 was purchased by Middlesex Community College and is now used as its Lowell campus.
Last note which was interesting: In 1964, Wang Laboratories training center was being under construction, workers unearned a crushed 1957 Cadillac at the site. Was that car inside the building? Or was it buried under the rumble of the fire that it was parked so close to the building? Good question. Well, this artifact, was promptly hauled off to a junkyard in Everett. Who would want to have a crushed 1957 Cadillac? I guess not. That is perhaps why it was hauled off.
Now a Middlesex Community College Lowell Campus.
The Interior.
One of the longest rinks in the world at the time. 280 feet long! 80 feet longer than a NHL rink or slightly longer than an Olympic rink. It even had stands for seating. The rink floor was used as other functions since they shared with other activities such as dancing, boxing, wrestling, wedding venues, and more. It was a truly entertainment/amusement center. They had three stories. Top two which was originally 5 stories as a mill but it was renovated to focus on those three floors because maybe no elevators? Its too much to walk 5 floors in those heavy clothing back the day.
Likely it was on second or third floor for the rink because of first floor had the Rex Grille, a restaurant. And likely bars too. No kidding. That is a lot in a tight spot. It is not like modern day one story entertainment centers which would take up way much space. Unless there is one that has many stories. The rink itself was 65 feet by 280 feet long. Wow, that very long. It is almost the size of the entire building floor would be.
The Exterior.
From what I saw in those photos some of it was bricks, others were stones in Antique Granite Wall style.
The Stats:
Rink Size: 65' x 280' (almost entire floor!) Floor: Wood. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A x 300'. Built: N/A. Demolished: Saturday June 25, 1960 before 11 am by massive fire. Building left abandoned, demolished in 1971.
Type of Building: Free-Span(?) or likely columns-supported Steel Truss Bicks-Walled Storefront - like Building.
Roof: Gable.
Acres: N/A.
Type of Bowling: Duckpin
Lanes: 65
Number Billiards Tables: 30.
Banquet Halls: 5.
A lounge, tavern, and a restaurant.
Operated: 1933 to Saturday June 25, 1960, 11 am (fire)
Reason for Closure: Massive fire destroyed entire building.
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: Lowell Sun newspaper June 12, 2005 - Remember the Rex; Wikipedia - Rex Center;
Billboard - August 9, 1952; Billboard - January 19, 1957; Billboard - November 17, 1958, Page 74, 2nd column;
Date of issue: 13 January 2021.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:16.