Skateland 4010 East Main Street, Farmington, NM. This was a 6,400 Square Foot rink on East Main Street in Farmington, New Mexico which was operated from April 1959 till its demise twice with the final demise was in the late 1990s. Taken by Henry Jackson. Source: Photo Collection of the San Juan County Historical Society.
Skateland 4016 East Main Street, Farmington, NM
Basin Skateland 4016 East Main Street, Farmington, NM
Basin Skateland 4016 East Main Street, Farmington, NM
Skateland and so was Basin Skateland located at 4010 East Main Street, Farmington, New Mexico. It was founded and operated by Oscar Bridges. First the Bridges moved to Farmington, New Mexico due to oil and gas boom. Originally Oscar started a welding company. Then he ordered a building permit to built his 6,400 Square Feet building in October 1958.
Then by April 1959, already roller skaters were already skating on the new rink after they constructed the new rink quite quickly.
Before the new rink was built, in May 1957, Oscar Bridges and his wife, Ruth opened his grocery store called, the C&R Grocery and Market, near the then soon-to-be Skateland. His wife was the grocery store manager. In the late summer of 1963, Mr. Bridges was advertising in the Daily Times for electricians, pipefitters and welders. Later, Oscar went to work for Pan American World Airways who had a huge contract with the Atomic Energy Commission and NASA to construct a nuclear rocket (nuclear weapon or nuclear powered?) development station near Las Vegas, Nevada.
So, by then in the same year, of 1963, the Bridges family moved to Las Vegas and Oscar began putting up the market that his rink was up for sale.
From Mid-1960s, both Francis Raymond “Dee” and Dot Rightmire purchased Skateland and operated the rink from mid-1960s into the early 1970s. They called it Basin Skateland.
Sam and Mary Lard owned Basin Skateland from the early seventies into the 1990s. It was closed for six years in the late 1980s and re-opened by Mary Lard in July 1991. About a month after it re-opened, Sam Lard was killed in a vehicle accident. By the late 1990s, Skateland’s days as a rink were numbered. It now houses A Beautiful Mess.
A Beautiful Mess is an Arts and Crafts and antique store. A lot of beautiful art and craft materials in this cute store. Beautiful stuff and I recommend if you are traveling, stop by there and check it out!
I found this source through San Juan Historical Society Facebook page. It was written by Mike Maddox. The Photograph of Skateland taken by Henry Jackson is from the Collection of the San Juan County Historical Society. Photograph of A Beautiful Mess is from The Collection of Mike Maddox. Source: Farmington Daily Times.
Before the Beautiful Mess store, it was a eye glasses retail store.
The Interior.
It is said to be Maple wood floor and there were soda bottles under the wood floor to muffler the skating roar sounds.
The Exterior.
It was a Gable roof Cinderblock building that was built in six months. They were small though. It sits on a small hill over seeing the main street. Next door to an automobile dealership. Likely the color at the time was White walls.
The Stats:
Rink Size: 48' x 98' (,4704 Square Feet) Floor: Non-painted Maple Wood. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: 6400 SF. Built: 1959. Demolished: Still standing.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Steel-Walled Warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Gable.
Acres: 0.7800 AC.
Operated: (Overall)-- April 1959 to 1985, reopened July 1991 to Late-1990s.
Skateland: April 1959 to 1963. (Closed 2 years?)
Basin Skateland: c. 1965 to 1985, reopened July 1991 to Late-1990s. (closed six years)
Reason for Closure:
Skateland: Oscar Bridges got new job out of state forcing family to relocate to another state, sold rink to new owners.
Basin Skateland: New owner changed name,
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:
Facebook - San Juan Historical Society.
(There are few newspapers but I have to be paid member to read this. So, no credits for them to be here).
Zillow.
Realtor.
Loop Net.
Date of issue: 24 June 2021.
For office use only: 1p.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.
Then by April 1959, already roller skaters were already skating on the new rink after they constructed the new rink quite quickly.
Before the new rink was built, in May 1957, Oscar Bridges and his wife, Ruth opened his grocery store called, the C&R Grocery and Market, near the then soon-to-be Skateland. His wife was the grocery store manager. In the late summer of 1963, Mr. Bridges was advertising in the Daily Times for electricians, pipefitters and welders. Later, Oscar went to work for Pan American World Airways who had a huge contract with the Atomic Energy Commission and NASA to construct a nuclear rocket (nuclear weapon or nuclear powered?) development station near Las Vegas, Nevada.
So, by then in the same year, of 1963, the Bridges family moved to Las Vegas and Oscar began putting up the market that his rink was up for sale.
From Mid-1960s, both Francis Raymond “Dee” and Dot Rightmire purchased Skateland and operated the rink from mid-1960s into the early 1970s. They called it Basin Skateland.
Sam and Mary Lard owned Basin Skateland from the early seventies into the 1990s. It was closed for six years in the late 1980s and re-opened by Mary Lard in July 1991. About a month after it re-opened, Sam Lard was killed in a vehicle accident. By the late 1990s, Skateland’s days as a rink were numbered. It now houses A Beautiful Mess.
A Beautiful Mess is an Arts and Crafts and antique store. A lot of beautiful art and craft materials in this cute store. Beautiful stuff and I recommend if you are traveling, stop by there and check it out!
I found this source through San Juan Historical Society Facebook page. It was written by Mike Maddox. The Photograph of Skateland taken by Henry Jackson is from the Collection of the San Juan County Historical Society. Photograph of A Beautiful Mess is from The Collection of Mike Maddox. Source: Farmington Daily Times.
Before the Beautiful Mess store, it was a eye glasses retail store.
The Interior.
It is said to be Maple wood floor and there were soda bottles under the wood floor to muffler the skating roar sounds.
The Exterior.
It was a Gable roof Cinderblock building that was built in six months. They were small though. It sits on a small hill over seeing the main street. Next door to an automobile dealership. Likely the color at the time was White walls.
The Stats:
Rink Size: 48' x 98' (,4704 Square Feet) Floor: Non-painted Maple Wood. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: 6400 SF. Built: 1959. Demolished: Still standing.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Steel-Walled Warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Gable.
Acres: 0.7800 AC.
Operated: (Overall)-- April 1959 to 1985, reopened July 1991 to Late-1990s.
Skateland: April 1959 to 1963. (Closed 2 years?)
Basin Skateland: c. 1965 to 1985, reopened July 1991 to Late-1990s. (closed six years)
Reason for Closure:
Skateland: Oscar Bridges got new job out of state forcing family to relocate to another state, sold rink to new owners.
Basin Skateland: New owner changed name,
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:
Facebook - San Juan Historical Society.
(There are few newspapers but I have to be paid member to read this. So, no credits for them to be here).
Zillow.
Realtor.
Loop Net.
Date of issue: 24 June 2021.
For office use only: 1p.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.