Mount Sentinel Community Club (Eventually Avalon Roller Rink) – 1933
Barbecue, Dance at New Clubhouse
Pits Prepared for Roasting Meat, Many to Be Fed During Evening.
Members of the Mount Sentinel Community club will stage a barbecue and dance to dedicate their new clubhouse on South Higgins avenue, Saturday night.
The grand opening will start at 5 o’clock, with barbecue, sandwiches, hot coffee and trimmings served from that time on. Music from 5 to 9 o’clock will be furnished by Louie Rochleau and his Redtops, and from 9 o’clock on by Ben Oertli and his band. The fine new hard maple floor, 45 feet wide and 80 feet long, will give ample room for dancing for the large crowd. In preparation for the occasion, the hall has been elaborately decorated in beautiful fall colors. The barbecue will be of the genuine old-fashioned variety, prepared by George Buckhouse. Pits have been prepared and roasting of the meat will start Saturday morning.
The members of the entertainment committee are R. P. Tiemyer, Harry Michelson, Arvid Carlson, Louis Minto, T. M. Brown, Jack Alsteen and T. Thompson. They are being assisted by the women of the district, who have organized with Mrs. R. J. Tucker as president and Mrs. R. L. Stoick as treasurer.
A dream of club members since their organization a year and a half ago, work on the new clubhouse was started September 7 by club members and unemployed residents of the community, and is just being completed.
The above article appeared in The Daily Missoulian on October 27, 1933.
Four Hundred Couples Gather at New Mr. Sentinel Clubhouse Dedication
Newly Completed Structure Packed to Capacity for First Social Event.
Barbecue, Dance Held.
Four hundred couples attended the grand opening of the new Mount Sentinel Community clubhouse on South Higgins avenue, Saturday night. The newly-completed structure was packed to its capacity by the crowd which assembled for the opening event, featured by a barbecue and dance.
The barbecue lunch, started at 5 o’clock when the steer, prepared by George Buckhouse of St. Ignatius, was served, together with the other things which went to make the barbecue complete.
Two dance orchestras had been engaged for the occasion. Louis Rochleau and his Red Tops furnished the music for the dancing which started at 5 o’clock and at 9 o’clock Ben Oertli and his band took over the musical part of the program for the rest of the evening.
A year and a half ago the Mount Sentinel Community club came into existence. It was organized by persons who reside south of the city limits. The membership grew and finally a committee was named to launch a building program. The new 45-by-80-foot structure, a model of community clubhouses, which was dedicated Saturday night, was the result.
The purpose of the club is to improve the South side section of the city and the clubhouse is the social gathering place for the members. The club has 150 members and had the roll been called Saturday night the membership would have answered nearly 100 per cent. Hundreds of friends of the members and of community enterprise helped to swell the crowd, and Missoula responded heartily to the club movement which was started with a handful of members.
Jack Alsteens is president of the club. The other officers are: Vice president, T. M. Brown; secretary, R. L. Stoick and treasurer, Roy M. Duvall.
The above article appeared in The Daily Missoulian on October 29, 1933.
https://www.newspapers.com/image/352107458
Picture of Clubhouse in The Daily Missoulian October 22, 1933
https://www.newspapers.com/image/352107117/
Not to date myself – I had the privilege of skating there just before it was torn down. It seemed like a huge old building at the time, but was certainly fun for kids.