The Rex Center was an

arena An arena is a large enclosed venue, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, Music, musical performances or Sport, sporting events. It comprises a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for specta ...

and entertainment center in downtown

Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell () is a city in Massachusetts, United States. Alongside Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cambridge, it is one of two traditional county seat, seats of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Middlesex County. With an estimated population of 115,554 in ...

, existing from 1933 to 1960. Entrepreneur and car dealer Charles Dancause created the Rex, which opened in 1933 in a renovated mill building, the old Prescott Division Plant of Mass Cotton Mills. The architect of the conversion was Harry Prescott Graves."Radio Tower Proves Problem" in ''Lowell Sun'', August 27, 1934, 1. Among the entertainments offered at the Rex was dining (the Rex Grille, which also offered floorshows), bars, a dancing ballroom,

duckpin bowling Duckpin bowling is a variation of the sport of bowling. Duckpin balls are in diameter, weigh between each, and lack finger holes. They are thus significantly smaller than those used in ten-pin bowling but are slightly larger and heavier than th ...

(65 lanes),

roller skating Roller skating is the act of travelling on surfaces with roller skates. It is a recreation, recreational activity, a sport, and a form of transportation. Roller rinks and skate parks are built for roller skating, though it also takes place on s ...

pool Pool may refer to: Bodies of water * Swimming pool, usually an artificial structure containing a large body of water intended for swimming * Reflecting pool, a shallow pool designed to reflect a structure and its surroundings * Tide pool, a roc ...

(30 tables), and

Turkish bath A hammam (), also often called a Turkish bath by Westerners, is a type of steam bath or a place of public bathing associated with the Islamic world. It is a prominent feature in the culture of the Muslim world and was inherited from the model ...

s. There were five banquet halls; banquets, wedding receptions, and other events were held there. The Rex Center constituted an important part of Lowell social life in the mid 20th century; the ''

Lowell Sun ''The Sun'', also known as ''The Lowell Sun'', is a daily newspaper based in Lowell, Massachusetts, United States, serving towns in Massachusetts around the Greater Lowell area and beyond. As of 2011, its average daily circulation was about 42, ...

'' described it as "one of Lowell's landmark spots" and "the sports and dining showplace of Lowell". The Rex Arena in the center seated 1,000 or 2,000 and hosted boxing matches, and also wrestling matches (featuring appearances by

Jim Londos Christos Theofilou (; January 2, 1894 – August 19, 1975), better known as "The Golden Greek" Jim Londos ( Greek: Τζιμ Λόντος), was a Greek American professional wrestler. Londos was one of the most popular stars on the professional ...

, Ed "Strangler" Lewis,

The French Angel Maurice Tillet (; ; 23 October 1903 – 4 September 1954) was a Russian-French professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, The French Angel/The Angel. Tillet was a leading box office draw in the early 1940s and was twice World Heavywei ...

, Man Mountain Dean, Dropkick Murphy,

Bull Curry Fred Thomas Koury Sr. (May 2, 1913 – March 8, 1985), best known under his ring name "Wild Bull" Curry, was an American professional wrestler of Lebanese descent. He is recognized as the originator of the hardcore style, predating legends su ...

and many others), particularly after the older Crescent Rink on Hurd Street burned down. Semi-pro basketball games were played there, and the

Harlem Globetrotters The Harlem Globetrotters is an American Exhibition game, exhibition basketball team. They combine athleticism, theater, entertainment, and comedy in their style of play. Over the years, they have played more than 26,000 exhibition games in 124 ...

appeared there. The Rex Center burned down on June 25, 1960. The huge fire raged out of control for several hours, and of the more than 300 firefighters from Lowell and 14 other towns, sixteen were injured. The derelict building was torn down in 1971 and replaced with a parking lot.

Wang Laboratories Wang Laboratories, Inc., was an American computer company founded in 1951 by An Wang and G. Y. Chu. The company was successively headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts (1954–1963), Tewksbury, Massachusetts (1963–1976), Lowell, Massachuse ...

built a training center at the site in 1984, which in 1990 was purchased by Middlesex Community College and is now used as its Lowell campus.

References

{{reflist, refs= {{cite web , url=http://www.lowellsun.com/sports/ci_2797783 , title=Remembering The Rex , author=David Pevear , date=June 12, 2005 , work=Lowell Sun , accessdate=January 8, 2017 {{cite magazine , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rx8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA64 , title=The Billboard Second Annual Auditorium-Arena Review , date=August 9, 1952 , magazine=Billboard , accessdate=January 8, 2017 {{cite book , last=Plomaritis , first=Titus , title=Titus , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U8kD16QgSk4C&pg=PA37 , accessdate=January 8, 2017 , year=2012 , publisher=AuthorHouse , isbn=978-1-4772-7137-7 , page=371 {{cite web , url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/47669896 , url-access=subscription , title=Spectator Sport (Man About Town column) , author=Nick Caraganis , date=November 11, 1971 , work=Lowell Sun , page=11 , accessdate=January 9, 2017 {{cite web , url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/11439358 , url-access=subscription , title=Wrestling Monday (advertisement) , date=October 8, 1938 , work=Lowell Sun , page=5 , accessdate=January 9, 2017 {{cite web , url=http://www.legacyofwrestling.com/Lowell40.html , title=Lowell Wrestling Results - 1940 , author=Don Luce , work=Legacy of Wrestling , accessdate=January 9, 2017 {{cite book , last=Strunk , first=Jason T. , title=Lowell Firefighting , series=Images of America , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jJYWfN7UKA8C&pg=PA95 , accessdate=January 9, 2017 , year=2006 , publisher=Arcadia Publishing , isbn=978-0738545028 , pages=95–96 Sports venues in Lowell, Massachusetts Middlesex Community College (Massachusetts) Defunct indoor arenas in Massachusetts Sports venues completed in 1933 1933 establishments in Massachusetts 1960 disestablishments in Massachusetts Sports venues demolished in 1971 1960 fires in the United States Defunct basketball venues in the United States