Sandy Beach Park Roller Rink Russell's Point OH. Minnewawa Dance Hall interior 1928. Source: ebay. Digitally Remastered by Dead-Rinks. (Removed awful border color.)
Sandy Beach Park Roller Rink Russell's Point OH. A watercolor postcard of Minniewawa Dance Hall. Likely 1930s before the fire of 1935. Noticed a new 2nd stage which was on the left for alternating bands to play when one needs to retire for the night. Source: eBay.
Sandy Beach Park Roller Rink Russell's Point OH. Today, there is a marker set up since 2003 explaining the old amusement park that was at this bay/marina. Today it is full of marina, apartments, houses, and retail. Source: eBay.
Sandy Beach Park Roller Rink Russell's Point OH. Another sticker with tickets. Source: Facebook group - Remembering Ohio Roller Skating Rinks of the Past and Present
Sandy Beach Park Roller Rink Russell's Point OH. Another sticker with tickets. Source: Facebook group - Remembering Ohio Roller Skating Rinks of the Past and Present
Sandy Beach Park Roller Rink Russell's Point OH
Sandy Beach Park Roller Rink was part of the Sandy Beach Amusement Park in Russell's Point, OH. Strangely, they did not mention in their websites any references to the roller rink. Just the amusement park and the popular-- the fabulous Minnewawa Dance Hall, billed as the best and largest in Ohio, featuring two bandstands and room for hundreds of couples. I might wonder if the roller rink was actually part of the Minnewawa Dance Hall.
Now a bit about the park--
The Indian Lake where the Sandy Beach Amusement Park is... a 640 acres lake. The area no longer needed for canal commerce due to rail and improvement of transportation, Lewistown Reservoir which was the original name was designated by the Ohio General Assembly in 1898 as a public recreation area known by its historic name, Indian Lake. The settlers named the lake because of numerous of tribes in the immediate area.
Indian Lake quickly became a popular resort area because of its large number of islands and natural shoreline touted as a secluded wilderness paradise offering a variety of activities.
By 1900s, Indian Lake became a leading destination. It drew many shows and activities at the time. But by early 1920s, It had so much to attract visitors to the area, local businessman Pappy Wilgus saw an opportunity he couldn't resist. Pappy and his son, French, built the Sandy Beach Amusement Park at Russells Point to entertain the growing numbers of tourists. Sandy Beach Amusement Park opened on Decoration Day, 1924.
During the Great Depression, the park did not lose any money because they stood well throughout the Depression only that in 1935, there was a massive fire destroyed the beloved dance hall, the Minnewawa Dance Hall, along with the wooden structures of the Old Mill Shoot, Custer Cars, Spa bathhouse, and part of the roller coaster.
Because it was a big fire and biggest money maker-- the dance hall were all burned down, Pappy and his son, French Wilgus had to sell the park to new operator who invested 100,000 USD that year to rebuilt the dance hall and rebuilt the park where it was destroyed in the 1935 fire. Sound like early 1935 the park had that fire.
The dance hall was rebuilt into an open-air garden style. It was elegant new Moonlight Terrace Gardens at Sandy Beach Amusement Park. The bands played on, and twirling couples continued to dance until the early 1950s when it was depilated beyond repairs.
Indian Lake was one of the original Ohio State Parks in 1949. The 1950s were a successful decade for both Sandy Beach Amusement Park and the new state park. The celebration of Ohio's sesquicentennial (150 years) in 1953 had a massive event at the Lake, drawing crowds estimated at 100,000 but these untroubled glory days couldn't last. The societal turmoil of the 1960s came to Indian Lake to pay annual visits starting July 4, 1961. Late that evening, rowdy patrons at the bars across the street from the amusement park sparked a riot that involved nearly 500 youths. The July 4th riot became an unfortunate tradition that plagued the community for a decade as the riots grew increasingly large and destructive each year. The riots dampened everyone's business during what should be one of the busiest weeks of the year.
Indian Lake State Park's family campground was built in the mid-1960s across the Lake from Russells Point and the amusement park. The class-A campground was an immediate hit, and it brought a new audience to the area. Meanwhile, the quaint, old-fashioned Sandy Beach Amusement Park was renamed Indian Lake Playland in 1967. It continued the struggle to compete with northwest Ohio's trendy new theme park, Cedar Point, for nearly a decade. Indian Lake Playland did not reopen on Decoration Day (Memorial Day) 1976, and a few years later, the rides and concessions were torn down.
Today, Indian Lake State Park attracts nearly 1.5 million visitors each year with its top-notch campground, swimming, and boating facilities.
There was another rink in nearby (maybe 2 blocks from the marina) which was called Indian Lake Rollarena/Indian Lake Roller Rink. Was this rink the one and same as the Sandy Beach Park Roller Rink? This is one of the mysteries you and I have except for those who have lived in the neighborhood growing up remembering those rinks. Was it the same location or was it just happened to be a different rink different location and names too that were different.
But I am leaning on to Minnewawa Dance Hall. That has to be doubled a dual purpose building- both roller skating rink and dance hall. Many amusement parks designed their parks to have at least one building for both but sometimes both. The Minnewawa Dance Hall was in the park. Exact location was unknown because photos and postcards were not much of a help on the exterior as it was interior. It may largely due to because of a massive fire in 1935 destroyed the building.
The park looked promising to continue be successful but with that 1935 disastrous fire destroyed the dance hall, along with the wooden structures of the Old Mill Shoot, Custer Cars, Spa bathhouse, and part of the roller coaster. That was pretty much almost entire grounds. But the new owner after the fire attempted to rebuilt and renovate the park by investing 100,000 USD in 1936 (inflation adjusted in 2021, it was 1,968,108 USD. Nearly 2 Million US Dollars! That is the price for ONE roller rink today. Cheap at the time for any rebuilts, renovations and repairs to those wooden rides and coasters.
Including was that the new the dance hall in an open-air garden style, the elegant new Moonlight Terrace Gardens at Sandy Beach Amusement Park in their tours. The bands played on, and twirling couples continued to dance until the early 1950s.
Still, it does not answer my question. Where was the rink, any information? All I got was the name of the rink at this location.
I do not see photographs of the rink building and rink itself as Sandy Beach Park Roller Rink. Anyone can solve this and provide photos?
The Interior.
N/A.
The Exterior.
N/A.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: N/A. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built/Renovations: N/A. Demolished: Likely.
Type of Building: N/A.
Roof: N/A.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: (Overall)-- Decoration Day(original name for Memorial Day), 29 May 1924 to N/A.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos/articles. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you. You can also use this form.
Sources:
Ohio Department of Natural Resources - Sandy Beach Park
Ohio Historial Central
Date of issue: 03 October 2021.
For office use only: 3
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.
Now a bit about the park--
The Indian Lake where the Sandy Beach Amusement Park is... a 640 acres lake. The area no longer needed for canal commerce due to rail and improvement of transportation, Lewistown Reservoir which was the original name was designated by the Ohio General Assembly in 1898 as a public recreation area known by its historic name, Indian Lake. The settlers named the lake because of numerous of tribes in the immediate area.
Indian Lake quickly became a popular resort area because of its large number of islands and natural shoreline touted as a secluded wilderness paradise offering a variety of activities.
By 1900s, Indian Lake became a leading destination. It drew many shows and activities at the time. But by early 1920s, It had so much to attract visitors to the area, local businessman Pappy Wilgus saw an opportunity he couldn't resist. Pappy and his son, French, built the Sandy Beach Amusement Park at Russells Point to entertain the growing numbers of tourists. Sandy Beach Amusement Park opened on Decoration Day, 1924.
During the Great Depression, the park did not lose any money because they stood well throughout the Depression only that in 1935, there was a massive fire destroyed the beloved dance hall, the Minnewawa Dance Hall, along with the wooden structures of the Old Mill Shoot, Custer Cars, Spa bathhouse, and part of the roller coaster.
Because it was a big fire and biggest money maker-- the dance hall were all burned down, Pappy and his son, French Wilgus had to sell the park to new operator who invested 100,000 USD that year to rebuilt the dance hall and rebuilt the park where it was destroyed in the 1935 fire. Sound like early 1935 the park had that fire.
The dance hall was rebuilt into an open-air garden style. It was elegant new Moonlight Terrace Gardens at Sandy Beach Amusement Park. The bands played on, and twirling couples continued to dance until the early 1950s when it was depilated beyond repairs.
Indian Lake was one of the original Ohio State Parks in 1949. The 1950s were a successful decade for both Sandy Beach Amusement Park and the new state park. The celebration of Ohio's sesquicentennial (150 years) in 1953 had a massive event at the Lake, drawing crowds estimated at 100,000 but these untroubled glory days couldn't last. The societal turmoil of the 1960s came to Indian Lake to pay annual visits starting July 4, 1961. Late that evening, rowdy patrons at the bars across the street from the amusement park sparked a riot that involved nearly 500 youths. The July 4th riot became an unfortunate tradition that plagued the community for a decade as the riots grew increasingly large and destructive each year. The riots dampened everyone's business during what should be one of the busiest weeks of the year.
Indian Lake State Park's family campground was built in the mid-1960s across the Lake from Russells Point and the amusement park. The class-A campground was an immediate hit, and it brought a new audience to the area. Meanwhile, the quaint, old-fashioned Sandy Beach Amusement Park was renamed Indian Lake Playland in 1967. It continued the struggle to compete with northwest Ohio's trendy new theme park, Cedar Point, for nearly a decade. Indian Lake Playland did not reopen on Decoration Day (Memorial Day) 1976, and a few years later, the rides and concessions were torn down.
Today, Indian Lake State Park attracts nearly 1.5 million visitors each year with its top-notch campground, swimming, and boating facilities.
There was another rink in nearby (maybe 2 blocks from the marina) which was called Indian Lake Rollarena/Indian Lake Roller Rink. Was this rink the one and same as the Sandy Beach Park Roller Rink? This is one of the mysteries you and I have except for those who have lived in the neighborhood growing up remembering those rinks. Was it the same location or was it just happened to be a different rink different location and names too that were different.
But I am leaning on to Minnewawa Dance Hall. That has to be doubled a dual purpose building- both roller skating rink and dance hall. Many amusement parks designed their parks to have at least one building for both but sometimes both. The Minnewawa Dance Hall was in the park. Exact location was unknown because photos and postcards were not much of a help on the exterior as it was interior. It may largely due to because of a massive fire in 1935 destroyed the building.
The park looked promising to continue be successful but with that 1935 disastrous fire destroyed the dance hall, along with the wooden structures of the Old Mill Shoot, Custer Cars, Spa bathhouse, and part of the roller coaster. That was pretty much almost entire grounds. But the new owner after the fire attempted to rebuilt and renovate the park by investing 100,000 USD in 1936 (inflation adjusted in 2021, it was 1,968,108 USD. Nearly 2 Million US Dollars! That is the price for ONE roller rink today. Cheap at the time for any rebuilts, renovations and repairs to those wooden rides and coasters.
Including was that the new the dance hall in an open-air garden style, the elegant new Moonlight Terrace Gardens at Sandy Beach Amusement Park in their tours. The bands played on, and twirling couples continued to dance until the early 1950s.
Still, it does not answer my question. Where was the rink, any information? All I got was the name of the rink at this location.
I do not see photographs of the rink building and rink itself as Sandy Beach Park Roller Rink. Anyone can solve this and provide photos?
The Interior.
N/A.
The Exterior.
N/A.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: N/A. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built/Renovations: N/A. Demolished: Likely.
Type of Building: N/A.
Roof: N/A.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: (Overall)-- Decoration Day(original name for Memorial Day), 29 May 1924 to N/A.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos/articles. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you. You can also use this form.
Sources:
Ohio Department of Natural Resources - Sandy Beach Park
Ohio Historial Central
Date of issue: 03 October 2021.
For office use only: 3
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.