Newport marks anniversary of America’s first roller skating rink

On this day: America’s first roller skating rink opened in Newport, Rhode Island

NEWPORT, R.I. — On August 11, 1866, Newport made history as the birthplace of America’s first roller skating rink. The rink, created by James Plimpton, inventor of the modern quad skate, was set up in the converted dining room of the Atlantic House Hotel, a fashionable resort on the corner of Bellevue Avenue and Pelham Street.

Plimpton, who also founded the New York Roller Skating Association, leased the hotel space to introduce the sport to Newport’s summer visitors. The timing was perfect, the Civil War had ended just a year earlier, and the hotel, which had been used to house the U.S. Naval Academy during the conflict, was eager to welcome back guests.

Roller skating proved to be the season’s must-try activity, drawing crowds of families and young couples. Plimpton’s skate rentals quickly became a profitable venture, and the sport’s popularity began to spread well beyond Newport.

The Atlantic House Hotel was demolished in 1877, just 33 years after it was built. Today, the Elks Club stands on the same corner where America’s first public roller skating rink once welcomed its first skaters.