Roller skating rink. This is the King Roller Rink, located at 2707-13 Pacific Avenue. The rink was built in 1931 by Martin H. Marker, contractor. W. Chelse Boynton was the architect. 800 pairs of skates were available for gliding on the white maple flooring.

Roller skating; King Roller Rink (Tacoma); Skating rinks--Tacoma;

Margaret McGinnis and Martha Turner's skating party for Betty Doud. Bernard Chambers and Judd Day lend a helping hand in adjusting Gretchen Kunigk's, left, and Laura Wheeler's skates on July 8, 1937. The skates fasten over Gretchen's street shoes. Kunigk, as Gretchen Fraser, was the first American to medal in Olympic skiing. (T. Times, 7/10/37 p. 10)

Chambers, Bernard; Day, Judd; Wheeler, Laura; Fraser, Gretchen Kunigk, 1919-1994; Roller Skating--Tacoma--1930-1940; Teenagers--1930-1940; King Roller Skating Rink (Tacoma);

Margaret McGinnis and Martha Turner's Roller skating party for Betty Doud A woman greets a priest as he enters the door of the skating rink. A sign above the double doors reads: "No Pass-out Checks". (T. Times)

Roller Skating--Tacoma--1930-1940; Skating rinks--Tacoma--1930-1940; King Roller Skating Rink (Tacoma); Priests--Tacoma--1930-1940;

On July 8, 1937 Douglas Gonyea, Martha Turner, Margaret McGinnis and Robert Prins sipped bottled sodas in front of the check room at the King Roller Skating Rink, 2707-13 Pacific Avenue. Martha and Margaret were hosting a roller skating party in honor of Betty Doud of Los Angeles, who was visiting her aunt and uncle in Tacoma. Nearly 100 Tacoma teenagers attended the party. In 1939, Robert Prins, Stadium High school graduate and junior at the University of Washington, was sent to Hollywood by Warner Bros. studio to do a screen test. He was discovered by a talent scout while performing in a play at U of W. As a highschooler, Prins became an actor after a dare by Stadium dramatics instructor Miss Alberta Frances Black. He appeared in two Warner Brothers movies in 1940, "Flight Angels" and "Money and the Woman". (T.Times,7/10/1937, p 10; T. Times 4/1/1939, pg. 1). TPL-10464

Roller skating--Tacoma--1930-1940; Teenagers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Skating rinks--Tacoma--1930-1940; McGinnis, Margaret; Turner, Martha; Gonyea, Douglas; Prins, Robert; King Roller Skating Rink (Tacoma);

Margaret McGinnis and Martha Turner's roller skating party for Betty Doud. Ann Murray, Betty Doud and Frances Young sit on railing of roller rink in this photograph from July of 1937. All three girls wear metal skates strapped over their saddle shoes. Murray and Young wear Annie Wright Seminary sweaters with "AWS 38" patches. (T. Times 7/101937, p6)

Roller skating--Tacoma--1930-1940; Teenagers--1930-1940; Skating rinks--Tacoma--1930-1940; Murray, Ann; Doud, Betty; Young, Frances; King Roller Skating Rink (Tacoma);

Margaret McGinnis and Martha Turner's roller skating party for Betty Doud. Virginia Hamilton and Walter Phelps chat in front of the skate rental booth. Sign above window reads: "Aluminum Skates 10 and 15 [cents] extra." (T.Times, 7/6/1937, page 6)

Roller Skating--Tacoma--1930-1940; Teenagers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Skating rinks--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hamilton, Virginia; Phelps, Walter; King Roller Skating Rink (Tacoma);

When Betty Doud, of Los Angeles, came to Tacoma in July, 1937 to visit her aunt and uncle, Margaret McGinnis and Martha Turner arranged a roller skating party in her honor. Upwards of 100 Tacoma teenagers met at the King Roller Skating Rink at So. 27th and Pacific for an evening of fun. In a romantic moment caught by a photographer from the Richards Studio two young people share a bottle of pop through two straws, their heads almost touching. (T.Times 7-10-1937 p.6)

Roller Skating--Tacoma--1930-1940; Teenagers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Skating rinks--Tacoma--1930-1940; King Roller Skating Rink (Tacoma);

Margaret McGinnis and Martha Turner's Roller skating party for Betty Doud. McGinnis and Turner stand with another girl, to their left, at the edge of the roller rink. (T.Times)

Roller Skating--Tacoma--1930-1940; Teenagers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Skating rinks--Tacoma--1930-1940; King Roller Skating Rink (Tacoma); McGinnis, Margaret; Turner, Martha;

Snapped in the act of sharing a bottle of pop, two young people sneak a romantic moment during the July 8, 1937 roller skating party in honor of Betty Doud of Los Angeles. Miss Doud was paying a visit to her aunt and uncle in Tacoma that summer. Nearly 100 teenagers were invited to the King Roller Skating Rink, 27th & Pacific, including the above twosome in sweaters. This is a close up of D1030-8.

Smoking; Roller skating--Tacoma--1930-1940; Teenagers--Tacoma--1930-1940; Skating rinks--Tacoma--1930-1940; King Roller Skating Rink (Tacoma);