Licking County

First Skating Rink in Newark

Around February, 1880, local businessmen Charles Montgomery and Charles O’Bannon tried an experiment in Newark. They opened a roller skating rink in Wilson’s Hall. It proved to be extremely popular. They had extra entertainment during the skates, such as an orchestra, a carnival theme and masquerades.

In April that year, they turned the rink over to the Ladies Circulating Library as a fundraiser. The event was a “phantom masquerade,” in which skaters glided around the rink dressed as ghosts. There was a skating contest for both ladies and gentlemen. The lady who took the prize was Miss Lida Patton, who won a ticket to the library, good for a year.

A feature of the business that would be frowned upon today was that the proprietors could refuse admittance to whomever they wanted. They restricted the activity to “the best society.” The April 9, 1880 Newark American stated, “It required judgment and careful discrimination in conducting an affair of this kind. The important point to observe is to avoid what is termed a ‘mixed crowd.’” Many conclusions could be drawn from that, but we see a glimpse of the thinking of the time from the same newspaper on April 16, 1880, which stated, “A gang of saurkrout emigrants lodged last night at the B. & O. Depot. They left on the northern bound train for Chicago, Illinois.”

A mark of a good businessman is to know when to close the business. By January 21, 1881, the Newark American announced, “Charley Montgomery closed the skating rink and disposed of the skates. The novelty of this kind of skating had about played out with our young folks.”

This story is part of a weekly series throughout 2008, brought to you by the Licking County Bicentennial Commission. If you would like to share early Licking County stories that are not well-known already, please send an e-mail to tallhorse@juno.com. We reserve the right to edit, and cannot guarantee publication.