In early 1948 came the news that a new roller skating rink was being constructed in Brainerd that would dwarf the city’s existing rink at Warner Park.
For the next two-plus decades, Southland Roller Rink, in the 3600 block of Brainerd Road near the old Brainerd Cinema, was a mecca for teens and tweens, as well as adults seeking some high-speed dance fun.
From the immediate post-World War II period until the mid-1970s, the rink spanned the musical spectrum, from a stand-alone Hammond organ (in the beginning) to the disco music era of the 1970s.
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The accompanying photo was taken by local attorney Hugh J. Moore Jr. around the time the rink closed in the 1970s.