Mammoth Skating Rink

The Mammoth Skating Rink opened in 1908 and operated for over half a century at 626 Henry Clay Street. It eventually came under the ownership of George W. Saffell to be used as a “recreation center for colored children.” Saffell’s wife, Mildred, kept the center open for over a decade after his death. However, participation from the community drastically declined, as federal and state desegregation laws were passed. In 1964, the estate of G.W. Saffell petitioned the Shelby Circuit Court to grant the sale of the Mammoth Skating Rink at auction, citing it had, “consistently been a losing proposition.”