The Utica Curling Club is one of the oldest in the United States. It is the largest curling club on the east coast.
In the early 1800's curling events were organized in Clark Mills. The sport moved to New York Mills in 1855 and flourished there for more than 20 years.
Benjamin Allen dammed a section of Ballou Creek and formed a large ice surface near Rutger Street in Utica for curling and skating. In 1868 he formed the Utica Curling Club and the club in New York Mills merged with it. After fencing in the rink area, adding a wood stove and erecting a large building to provide cover; the Rutger Rink was home to the Utica Curling Club until 1916. The property was sold to the city of Utica and the club moved into a new facility on Francis Street. Expansions and improvements continued until 1995 when the Francis Street facility was destroyed by fire.
By 1996 a new facility had opened on Clark Mills Road in Whitestown. This new facility has hosted the U.S. men's and women's championships, the college national championships and the Mitchell Bonspiel; an international men's Grand National Curling Club event which was first held in 1885.
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