Houghton in Houghton County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Amphidrome / The Birth of Professional Hockey
Photographed By Mike Wintermantel, August 14, 2014
1. The Amphidrome Marker
The Amphidrome
The Amphidrome stood on this site from 1902 until 1927, when it burned. The first hockey game was played in the arena on December 29, 1902, when Portage Lake beat the University of Toronto, 13-2. The Amphidrome was the home of the Portage Lakes, a team in the International Hockey League, Ice Hockey's first professional league. The building also hosted the agricultural society's annual Copper Country Fair and numerous other community events. The Houghton Warehouse Company, headed by James R. Dee, who helped organize the International Hockey League in 1904, led the effort to rebuild the Amphidrome. This building opened in 1927 on the site of the original one and hosted professional ice hockey games until 1907. It was renamed Dee Stadium in 1943.
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The Birth of Professional Hockey
In 1903-04 the Portage Lake Hockey Club became the first hockey team to pay all its players. In March 1904 the club won the U.S. Championship and beat the Montreal Wanderers in the Houghton Amphidrome for what was billed as the World's Championship. Later that year local entrepreneur James Dee and Houghton dentist John "Doc" Gibson, a former hockey player originally from Ontario, organized the first professional hockey league. The International Hockey League (IHL) began play in
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Erected 2006 by Michigan Historical Commission - Michigan Historical Center. (Marker Number S0690.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Sports. In addition, it is included in the Michigan Historical Commission series list. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1904.
Location. 47° 7.362′ N, 88° 33.935′ W. Marker is in Houghton, Michigan, in Houghton County. Marker is on East Lakeshore Drive, 0.1 miles east of Isle Royale Street, on the right when traveling west. Marker is located at the Dee Stadium in Houghton. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Houghton MI 49931, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Historic Houghton (here, next to this marker); Clubs and Associations (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Hotels and Saloons (about 400 feet away); a different marker also named Historic Houghton (about 500 feet away); Grace Methodist Church (about 800 feet away); Municipal and Cultural Activities (approx. 0.2 miles away);
Photographed By Mike Wintermantel, August 14, 2014
2. The Birth of Professional Hockey Marker
Also see . . . The Birthplace of Organized Professional Hockey!. (Submitted on August 16, 2014, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.)
Photographed By Mike Wintermantel, August 14, 2014
3. The Amphidrome Marker
Photographed By Mike Wintermantel, August 14, 2014
4. Dee Stadium-The Birthplace of Professional Hockey
Sign mounted to the main entrance of Dee Stadium
Photographed By Mike Wintermantel, August 14, 2014
5. Dee Stadium-The Birthplace of Professional Hockey
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The Amphidrome 1902-1927
The 1901-02 Portage Lakes
In 1900, Dr. John L. "Jack" Gibson, who had played hockey in Ontario, settled in Houghton to pursue a profession in dentistry. He would soon become known as "Doc" Gibson and he would become one of a small circle of pioneers who helped develop hockey into a professional sport. With his enthusiasm and drive, Houghton had the first professional hockey team (1903-04 Portage Lakes) and was a founding member of the first professional hockey league. International Hockey League (Founded 1904
After an the Portage Lakes went undefeated in the 1902-03 season, Gibson started to recruit for the 1903-04 season. The 1903-04 Portage Lakes is recognized as the first professional hockey team. Gibson played one year for the Portage Lakes (1903-04) and eventually moved to Calgary where practiced dentistry and died in 1955. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder (1976) and he was one of the original inductees into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame (1973)
The 1901-02 Portage Lakes
In 1900, Dr. John L. "Jack" Gibson, who had played hockey in Ontario, settled in Houghton to pursue a profession in dentistry. He would soon become known as "Doc" Gibson and he would become one of a small circle of pioneers who helped develop hockey into a professional sport. With his enthusiasm and drive, Houghton had the first professional hockey team (1903-04 Portage Lakes) and was a founding member of the first professional hockey league. International Hockey League (Founded 1904
After an the Portage Lakes went undefeated in the 1902-03 season, Gibson started to recruit for the 1903-04 season. The 1903-04 Portage Lakes is recognized as the first professional hockey team. Gibson played one year for the Portage Lakes (1903-04) and eventually moved to Calgary where practiced dentistry and died in 1955. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder (1976) and he was one of the original inductees into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame (1973)
Photographed By Mike Wintermantel, August 14, 2014
6. Dee Stadium-The Birthplace of Professional Hockey
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The First Professional Hockey Team
1903-04 Portage Lakes
1903-04 Portage Lakes
Photographed By Mike Wintermantel, August 14, 2014
7. Dee Stadium-The Birthplace of Professional Hockey
panel right
The Dee Stadium 1928
The 1902-03 Portage Lakes
James R. Dee (1856-1946) born in Cliff Mine, in nearby Keweenaw County, was a local business man who organized the Worlds First Professional Hockey League here in the Copper Country. James Dee is recognized as the father of professional hockey in the United States. The first professional hockey league in the world, featured teams from Calumet, Sault Ste. Marie Canada, Sault Ste. Marie Michigan, Pittsburg and our Portage Lake team. "His teams won international championships and laid the foundation for the formation of professional hockey leagues which are thriving in America today." according to the local newspaper on the occasion of his 90th birthday.
His interest in winter sports and hockey lead him to promote and organize a company to build the Amphidrome in 1902. It was the largest enclosed ice rink in the country at the time. When the Amphidrome was destroyed by fire in 1927, Dee took the lead in organizing the financing the construction of the New Amphidrome before the beginning of the next hockey season. This ice rink was purchased by the College of Mining and Technology (Now MTU) in 1943; at which time, they dedicated the rink the James R. Dee Stadium
The 1902-03 Portage Lakes
James R. Dee (1856-1946) born in Cliff Mine, in nearby Keweenaw County, was a local business man who organized the Worlds First Professional Hockey League here in the Copper Country. James Dee is recognized as the father of professional hockey in the United States. The first professional hockey league in the world, featured teams from Calumet, Sault Ste. Marie Canada, Sault Ste. Marie Michigan, Pittsburg and our Portage Lake team. "His teams won international championships and laid the foundation for the formation of professional hockey leagues which are thriving in America today." according to the local newspaper on the occasion of his 90th birthday.
His interest in winter sports and hockey lead him to promote and organize a company to build the Amphidrome in 1902. It was the largest enclosed ice rink in the country at the time. When the Amphidrome was destroyed by fire in 1927, Dee took the lead in organizing the financing the construction of the New Amphidrome before the beginning of the next hockey season. This ice rink was purchased by the College of Mining and Technology (Now MTU) in 1943; at which time, they dedicated the rink the James R. Dee Stadium
circa 1932
8. The New Amphidrome, Houghton, Mich.
Photographed By A.W. Buck, circa 1910
9. Amphidrome from Portage Lake, Houghton, Mich.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on August 16, 2014, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 741 times since then and 65 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on August 16, 2014, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 8, 9. submitted on January 2, 2015.
