More Than a Roller Rink: How Wagon Wheel Keeps Casper-Area Memories Rolling

Some places hold more than people and activities. They hold pieces of a community’s life story. They are where childhood friendships begin, where families spend time together, and where ordinary evenings become memories people carry with them long after they leave. For generations of people in the Casper area, Wagon Wheel Roller Rink has been one of those places.

Just across the North Platte River in Mills, Wagon Wheel has been part of the community since 1948. For nearly 80 years, the rink has welcomed people through different stages of life, from children finding their balance on skates to adults returning to a familiar floor that brings back memories of their own younger years. The music may change, the faces may grow older, and new generations may take their first uncertain laps, but the joy of skating together remains much the same.

The rink’s history has not always been easy. After a fire in the 1950s destroyed the original building, the facility was rebuilt, allowing its story to continue. Through the decades, Wagon Wheel has experienced changes in ownership, purpose, and the world around it. Yet it has remained a recognizable part of local life, offering something that can be difficult to find in an increasingly busy world: a place where people can put aside their routines for a while and simply enjoy being together.

That connection was put to the test when the rink faced the possibility of closing permanently. In 2023, local community members Elisa and Jon Odlin purchased Wagon Wheel from Beverly Van Horn-Lunt, the third-generation member of the family that had owned it. Their decision was about more than taking over a business. It was an effort to protect a place that had already become part of so many lives and to give the next generation an opportunity to create memories of its own.

Preserving a longtime community gathering place takes commitment, hard work, and resources. Since taking ownership, the Odlins have invested in improvements to help keep the facility going, including fresh paint, new carpeting, and an expanded rental skate selection. These changes help prepare the rink for future visitors while keeping its familiar purpose at the heart of the experience.

But the real value of Wagon Wheel cannot be measured by renovations alone. It can be found in a child’s excitement after finally skating without holding someone’s hand, in the laughter shared by friends who stumble and get back up together, and in parents watching their children discover an activity they once loved themselves. It lives in the chance for neighbors to meet, families to spend time together, and people of different ages to share a common experience.

The rink also provides space for more than casual family outings. It serves local roller derby participants and gives young people a place to enjoy active recreation in a drug- and alcohol-free environment. Its arcade games, prize activities, bounce houses, and concessions offer additional ways for families to make an evening of their visit. For a community, having places where people can gather safely, build friendships, and feel connected is worth protecting.

On Tuesday, October 13, Wagon Wheel will welcome the community for Groovy Skate Night, an all-ages celebration of National Roller Skating Month scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. The evening will bring a little retro fun to the rink, with music inspired by the 1960s and 1970s and an invitation for skaters to embrace the spirit of the era with vintage-inspired outfits, including bell-bottoms.

The theme may look back to decades past, but the heart of the evening is very much about the present: bringing people together. Some guests may arrive with years of skating experience, while others may be stepping onto the floor for the first time. Some may come to relive familiar memories; others may leave with stories they will share for years. Whatever brings them through the doors, the rink offers a chance to be part of something shared.

Community landmarks do not stay alive through history alone. They need people who believe they still matter, owners willing to keep investing in them, and neighbors who continue to walk through their doors. Choosing to spend an evening at a local rink may seem like a small gesture, but those visits help support the places that make a community feel like home.

Wagon Wheel Roller Rink’s story is ultimately about more than skating. It is about what can happen when people recognize the value of a place and work to keep it available for others. Nearly eight decades after it first opened, the rink continues to offer a simple but meaningful invitation: come as you are, share a little space with your neighbors, and make a memory worth keeping.

As Groovy Skate Night approaches, the Casper-area community has another opportunity to celebrate a local tradition and help carry it forward. Whether you are returning to the rink after years away or introducing someone new to the joy of skating, your visit can become part of Wagon Wheel’s continuing story.

Want to join the fun? Visit Casper Buzz to find ticket information for Groovy Skate Night and discover more events, activities, local businesses, and experiences happening around Casper. From family-friendly outings to live entertainment and community gatherings, Casper Buzz helps you find more ways to get out, explore, and connect with your community.

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Image Credit: Wagon Wheel Roller Skating, for photos and event information shared by the organization.