Eveleth Community Celebrates Hippodrome’s 100 Years of Hockey, History

Community members are also working to preserve this venue as a future historical site, hoping to prevent it from ever being torn down.

EVELETH, Minn.- A staple of the Eveleth community celebrated a big milestone Saturday.

The 100th birthday of the city’s Hippodrome was celebrated at the nearby Eveleth Auditorium.

For the past century, quite a few famous hockey stars have graced the ice there, and others played some heart-pounding games.

It was also home to many basketball games, fundraisers, and even concerts attracting big names like Tony Bennett.

According to Jon Hoel, chair of the Eveleth Community Foundation, they were excited to bring everyone together to share their fond memories.

“To celebrate such an amazing storied venue but also bring together people for memories, to share stories and for real fellowship that’s what the community foundation is trying to do,” said Hoel.

The Auditorium was decked out in memorabilia, and relics from the Hippodrome’s past.

One person attending says it played a big part in his life and many others.

“Well I think the Hippodrome’s been a large part of our community since it opened up in 1922,” Figgy Ritacco said. “It’s engrained in anybody that ever lived in Eveleth or anybody that ever played there.

“You walk in there, you’ll know what I’m talking about you can feel it right when you walk in. I’m old enough to know a lot of those guys hanging on the wall and to me it’s personal,” he said.

“She’s 100 and she’s gonna be around for another 100 years,” said Ritacco.

Community members are also working to preserve this venue as a future historical site, hoping to prevent it from ever being torn down.