From rivers and ponds, to outdoor skate parks and indoor rinks, ice skating has been around for thousands of years. 19th century innovations increased the popularity and accessibility of ice skating.
Growing up in Maryland/metro DC, we'd skate on the B&O canal. You could skate miles, although you had to walk around the locks. At some of the lock station houses, there would be hot cider and chocolate available and fires to warm up at.
I interviewed my Mum once and wrote down comments she would make from time to time. She grew up on Moraine St. and this is one story she told me.
"There use to be a small pond back in the woods behind our house. All the kids in the neighborhood skated there. After a snow we would go down and clear off the ice. Then the boys would come and take over the pond to play hockey. It made us very angry. I broke my ankle skating there. My leg was in a cast for weeks." Nell (Ferrier) Batchelder - We learned to skate on a small pond behind my grandparent's farm on Argilla Rd. Then we graduated to Baker's Meadow which was a straight shot through the woods.
Glad to know my friends and I were in good company! Once the boys showed up with their hockey gear, we retreated to my friend's grandmother's house for hot cocoa and cookies. They boys couldn't, so we waited until they got cold and left, and then would go back out and skate, feeling very superior because we had cocoa and they didn't!
Baker’s Meadow! Everyone from our neighborhood (parents, kids, dogs) would join in the fun. Someone would go down to the pond and check it out to see if the ice was thick enough for skating. If so, the word would spread like wildfire and everyone would meet up for skating and socializing. There were both hockey and pleasure skaters. Definitely a winter highlight for all!
Vale Fire Dept used to freeze and Townies maintained the court in the Vale playground every year for skating, Townies put up boards for hockey. Bell's Pond off Marland St and Clark's were decent, took work to smooth them out.
I grew up in Brighton, Massachusetts during the fifties and sixties. The City of Boston would flood areas of neighborhood playgrounds for skating every year. Periodically the fire department would come around and spray the ice to smooth it. I remember skating on Chandler’s Pond near Boston College and St. John’s Seminary, Dad took us several time to skate on Walden Pond. We skated at the Boston Skating Club on Soldiers Field Road and the municipal rink at Cleveland Circle in the sixties.
I love these shared stories, Jim! I've heard from people from Andover to Detroit with stories about local and home-grown skate rinks. Thank you! ~Elaine
Growing up in Maryland/metro DC, we'd skate on the B&O canal. You could skate miles, although you had to walk around the locks. At some of the lock station houses, there would be hot cider and chocolate available and fires to warm up at.
I interviewed my Mum once and wrote down comments she would make from time to time. She grew up on Moraine St. and this is one story she told me.
"There use to be a small pond back in the woods behind our house. All the kids in the neighborhood skated there. After a snow we would go down and clear off the ice. Then the boys would come and take over the pond to play hockey. It made us very angry. I broke my ankle skating there. My leg was in a cast for weeks." Nell (Ferrier) Batchelder - We learned to skate on a small pond behind my grandparent's farm on Argilla Rd. Then we graduated to Baker's Meadow which was a straight shot through the woods.
Glad to know my friends and I were in good company! Once the boys showed up with their hockey gear, we retreated to my friend's grandmother's house for hot cocoa and cookies. They boys couldn't, so we waited until they got cold and left, and then would go back out and skate, feeling very superior because we had cocoa and they didn't!
Baker’s Meadow! Everyone from our neighborhood (parents, kids, dogs) would join in the fun. Someone would go down to the pond and check it out to see if the ice was thick enough for skating. If so, the word would spread like wildfire and everyone would meet up for skating and socializing. There were both hockey and pleasure skaters. Definitely a winter highlight for all!
What a great story! Thanks for sharing it!
Vale Fire Dept used to freeze and Townies maintained the court in the Vale playground every year for skating, Townies put up boards for hockey. Bell's Pond off Marland St and Clark's were decent, took work to smooth them out.
Thanks! I didn't know about the Ballardvale skate area or Bell's Pond. Thanks for sharing! ~Elaine
I grew up in Brighton, Massachusetts during the fifties and sixties. The City of Boston would flood areas of neighborhood playgrounds for skating every year. Periodically the fire department would come around and spray the ice to smooth it. I remember skating on Chandler’s Pond near Boston College and St. John’s Seminary, Dad took us several time to skate on Walden Pond. We skated at the Boston Skating Club on Soldiers Field Road and the municipal rink at Cleveland Circle in the sixties.
I love these shared stories, Jim! I've heard from people from Andover to Detroit with stories about local and home-grown skate rinks. Thank you! ~Elaine