Pittsburgh sports fans and reporters witnessed a historic moment on the final day of March of 2012, when the iconic dome topping the Civic Arena came down in a planned demolition. The Pittsburgh CBS affiliate caught up with one of the onlookers, Denny Quinn, of Scott Township, who told them, “My grandfather, Bill Quinn, Sr. worked on that arch.” Quinn added “It’s just a symbol of everything they do in this town. It’s well done.” It was even more than that: when it opened, the Civic Arena testified to the city’s famed engineering and steel production.

On this day, September 17, in 1961, the Civic Arena opened, hosting the Ice Capades as its first official function. The 260-foot dome was divided into eight sections, two of which could slide under the others, making the Arena the first one ever with a retractable roof.

The Arena became best known for hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team, but also at different periods served as the home for the Pittsburgh Pipers and Pittsburgh Pirates basketball teams (in the pre-NBA days) and the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team. Other sporting events included boxing matches: Muhammad Ali won a bout at the Arena in 1963, and Sugar Ray Robinson, Sonny Liston and Floyd Patterson also fought matches there. Even Lyndon Johnson made use of the arena for his campaign rally in 1964.