Discover the 11 Oldest Hockey Rinks in America

Hockey is one of the most popular winter sports in the United States. Even though the birthplace of professional hockey is Canada, Americans followed suit within a decade and developed a love for the game. In 1924 the Boston Bruins were the first of four U.S. teams that formed and joined the National Hockey League with the two existing Canadian teams.

However, even before hockey became a professional sport, there were players shooting pucks on hockey rinks in small American towns. Although some of the oldest rinks were outdoor ones, there were also old indoor ice rinks on which semi-pro teams were recruited and played. Read on to discover the 11 oldest hockey rinks in America.

11. Duluth Entertainment Convention Center

The Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC) opened in Duluth, Minnesota in 1966. At that time, the 5,333-capacity arena cost $6.5 million to build. During the years from 1966 to 2010, it housed the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldog hockey team as well as the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Men’s Hockey Division.

Today, the DECC is an entertainment center for the Twin Cities. Since the 1990s, the center has added at least 10 movie theaters and a 12 thousand-square-foot ballroom that overlooks the lake. Along with hockey games, the DECC also holds concerts and programs.

10. Gutterson Fieldhouse

Not only is the “The Gut” the tenth oldest hockey rink in America, but it’s Vermont’s largest indoor arena. The building was built in 1963 with an original capacity of 3,335. In the 1990s, it was expanded to seat 4,007 people. This rink was the site of the first nationally televised women’s hockey game.

The New York Rangers used the Gut as their training camp from 1995 until 2004, and many of the most famous NHL hockey players trained there. Among those players were Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier. As a result, the Gutterson Fieldhouse has played a significant role in modern hockey.

9. Meehan Auditorium

Named after George V. Meehan, the auditorium’s donor, the hockey venue opened in 1961. The unique dome shape of this hockey rink gives the fans unobstructed views from anywhere in the stands. However, the expansiveness of its design also makes the arena perpetually cold, since no body heat is trapped.

The Brown University Band is considered the world’s first ice skating band. This is because, during hockey games, the band skates and does maneuvers while playing band music. Since its opening, Brown alumni have contributed $4.3 million to renovate Meehan Auditorium. Additionally, the Brown University Band has continued its skating band tradition.

8. J. Howard Starr Rink

As one of the 11 oldest hockey rinks in America, the J. Howard Starr Rink was built at Colgate University in 1959. Its wooden bleachers could seat 2,000 people, though it was seldom filled to capacity. It was named after J. Howard Starr, a Colgate University physical education professor and long-serving hockey coach.

This arena’s notoriety comes from the movie Slap Shot being filmed inside. While still hosting hockey games, fans would flock to games in which the home team—the Raiders—would play the Cornell Big Red. Today, though, the rink serves as a basketball practice court.

7. Ingalls Rink

An architectural masterpiece, the New York Times named the Ingalls Rink the rink with the best design in America. The architect, Eero Saarinen, was a 1934 Yale graduate. The rink was dedicated in 1956 and named for two Ingalls who were former men’s hockey captains — David S. of the 1920 graduating class and David S. Jr. of the 1956 graduating class.

Along with being cited in the New York Times and having a place in the Architectural Digest magazine, Ingalls Rink was home to many intercollegiate hockey games. Due to its shape, the rink is sometimes referred to as the Yale Whale. The arena was renovated in 2009 for a cost of $23.5 million.

6. Lynah Rink

The late James Lynah was the director of athletics for Cornell University from 1935 to 1943. Consequently, the Lynah Rink is named after him in honor of his loyal service to Cornell athletics. In addition to the late James Lynah’s loyalty, the students’ and fans’ loyalty to Cornell’s Big Red hockey team is unsurpassed.

The rink was built in 1957 and has a seating capacity of 4,267. Not only are the seats practically always filled for hockey games, but the students and fans often camp out overnight to ensure they get season tickets.

5. Appleton Arena

St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY, is home to the St. Lawrence Saints hockey team. This arena was built in 1951 to seat 3,200 hockey fans. Surprisingly, the stained wooden seats and wooden arched ceilings maintain their original look.

The university has renovated the building throughout its time, but its significance as an important heritage site has kept it close to the initial 1951 rink. Though perhaps not a pioneer installation, the famous blasting siren that signals the team’s goals, reaching the same decibels as an air-raid horn is a fan favorite. Consequently, the arena is one of the country’s loudest venues.

4. Houston Field House

Before serving as a hockey rink, the Houston Field House was a Navy warehouse in Rhode Island. In 1946, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) president, Livingston Houston, was the driving force behind getting the warehouse dismantled and brought to the RPI campus. During the institute’s 125th anniversary in 1949, it was named after the president.

Before the Houston Field House was moved and rebuilt on the RPI campus, the school’s hockey team played on an outdoor rink. The team had used the outdoor ice rink since its first 1901 game. From 1946 to the present, the team has played its games inside the Houston Field House.

3. Hobey Baker Memorial Rink

There is just one ice skating rink on all of Princeton University’s campus, and it is the Hobey Baker Memorial Rink. The rink was built in 1923 in honor of Hobart A.H. Baker of the Princeton class of ’14. Baker was a former right wing for the Princeton Tigers hockey team and a pilot in World War I. He died in a test plane crash right before being sent home from his post in France.

Visitors often comment on the beauty of the rink’s exterior, even comparing it to a church. Despite several improvements since the 1970s, the hockey rink has retained its charm and splendor. The Princeton Tigers fans continue to fill the 2,092 seats of the Hobey Baker Memorial Rink to watch their favorite team play hockey.

2. The Colosseum

The Calumet Colosseum was built in 1913. Since its inception, it has been in continual use as an indoor rink. In fact, though it’s only the second-oldest rink by building date, it’s actually the oldest continuous-use indoor hockey rink in the world. Two teams — the Calumet Wolverines and the Portage Lake Pioneers— played the first official game in January of 1914.

Calumet was a copper mining town from the 1860s to the late 1960s. In fact, in 1968 while Calumet and Hecla Mining Co. miners were on strike, many would spend their days volunteering to help install the Colosseum’s first artificial ice. Currently, the local high school team — the Calumet Copper Kings — is one of the many teams that hold its hockey games in this historic hockey arena.

1. Matthews Arena

Once called the Boston Arena, the Matthews Arena was built in 1910. It is located at Northeastern University and is the oldest hockey rink in the country. However, since it was temporarily closed from December 1918 to January 1921 due to renovations from a fire, it isn’t the oldest continuous-use hockey rink.

The Matthews Arena was named after George J. Matthews who graduated from Northeastern University in 1956. With a capacity of 4,666, the rink has the oldest sheet of artificial ice. When not used for hockey, this arena has hosted famous people such as Theodore Roosevelt in 1912, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, and Muhammad Ali.

Summary Table For the 11 Oldest Hockey Rinks in America