Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Hometown Skate Park


I found these images online here of the skateboard park in Swinson Park in my hometown Morehead City, NC. The skate park was off in the woods behind a baseball field and you wouldn't know it was there unless you were told about it. It had long concrete banks that wound around the woods and there were a couple bowls that were usually full of water whenever I went out there. I don't know the history of the skate park but I know it was destroyed probably before 1990 due to liability. Bridges St runs through the site now. 





9 comments:

Schoden said...

Great Pics! Is that Noah Link?

Jessica + Chuck said...

cool, reminds me of some old Va Beach secret woodland skate area's - good times :)

Raine said...

I found this really randomly, but I grew up in Morehead and skated Swinson when I was very young (I was like 11 when it got shut down).

This is all hearsay and memories, but the story is it was originally built back on the land bordering the park by a surf club. At one time, people paid to use it, but I always remember just showing up (sneaking in?) by cutting through the woods and skating.

It was destroyed in 1993 - a kid got hurt and his dad threatened to sue the city, so they jack-hammered and bulldozed it, and then the Bridges Street extension and walking trail was built over the place where it used to be.

1kevinism said...

damn I can't believe I found this post. I use to go up there all the time when I was a kid. some of my best skate sessions growing up. cant even remember how we heard about it in Pamlico.

Unknown said...

http://www.facebook.com/groups/147909642207/?ref=ts&fref=ts

Anonymous said...

We used to skip school and road trip from wilmington to skate all day . I heard it was called wizards back in the day? If u fell on the snake runs it would eat you up . The best was the toilet bowl with 3' of funky water as a dare . You had to stay real high in bowl and cross a big crack or splash. 1991 ish.

Anonymous said...

This place was awesome, always had a blast there. Need to bring parks like this back!

Unknown said...

The Pics you posted are of me Jerry Baker aka JBBSPEED. I have more pics of Swinson if you would like them I can send you a email.

Peace JBB

Jon Hughes said...

I used to skate Swinson back in the 80's when I was in elementary school. Always used condoms and needles along the path to it through the woods and everything always covered in pine needles, bowl full of water, but fun as hell to skate. Damn... miss that place and those days!