Maine's Lost Trotting Parks

Memorabilia Slide Show -- Champion Racing Horses on Cigar Boxes

2012-02-09T14:08:00.001-05:00

Race Horses from the National Cigar Museum
Click on the first image. This will activate a slideshow with annotation.

The History of Bridle Rosettes

2012-02-09T14:02:00.004-05:00

The Importance of the Rosette!

Lost Trotting Parks Introduces Its New Blog -- "The Maine Spirit"

2012-02-08T22:20:00.000-05:00

Check out "The Maine Spirit"
Supporting Maine's Agricultural Fairs
and the
Standardbred Horse

Circa 1830 Sketches of the Gardiner Lyceum

2012-02-08T12:51:00.001-05:00

McFaul Park -- 1896 Sub-Division Planned -- Location of Baseball Field

2012-02-08T12:24:00.002-05:00

McFaul Park -- Grandstand for 600 -- Ten Stables

2012-02-06T07:41:00.000-05:00

The Gardiner Lyceum -- 1823 -- Address by Robert Hallowell, Gardiner, Maine

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-- From the History of Kennebec County, Kingsbury and Deyo
Chapter XXIV, p. 638 --

Courtesy of the Archives Room, The Gardiner Public Library
Gardiner, Maine

"The Gardiner Lyceum, established by R.H. Gardiner in 1822, was designed in all respects to be a college without dead languages. The building ws of stone and had an excellent cabinet and philosophical apparatus. The first principal was Reverend Hale, rector of Christ's Church. The patronage of the school was small, and in 1848 the school was established as an academy with Dr. G.S. Palmer as principal.

In 1851 the building was transferred to the City of Gardiner and a free high school was then established, and occupied it until the fall of 1870 when it was burned.

Famous First Facts by Joseph Nathan Kane, p. 509.

"The First technical institute in the United States was the Gardiner Lyceum which was established in 1822 due to the efforts of Benjamin Hale. Short courses were given in civil architecture, navigation, chemistry and agriculture. The school's existence depended upon fees, gifts, and grants from the Maine State Legislature. The school was created "for the purpose of giving to farmers and mechanics such a scientific education as would enable them to become skillful in their professions."

"The Lyceum Movement" in the United States

Vintage Images from The Cyclopedia of American Agriculture -- 1917

2012-01-31T17:36:00.001-05:00

Historic Farm Animals -- Mentioned in the Cyclopedia of American Agriculture 1917

2012-01-31T14:50:00.001-05:00

Abandoned Farms throughout New England -- 1875

2012-01-31T14:47:00.001-05:00

Maine Leaders in Agriculture -- Benjamin Vaughan -- Robert Hallowell Gardiner -- Ezekiel Holmes -- Hall C. Burleigh -- Taken from the Cyclopedia of American Agriculture

2012-01-31T11:22:00.004-05:00

Lost Trotting Parks new publication, The Maine Spirit of the Turf, will blend historically relevant articles for readers. The following storyboards are examples of historical content relevant to Maine's agricultural history.

Yesterday and Today -- The Lost Trotting Parks of Cumberland and York Counties

2012-01-29T17:41:00.002-05:00

An earlier post presented the aerial views with identifying the locations.
The following storyboards provide you with location names and a view

of Yesterday and of Today.

2012 Dates for Maine's Agricultural Fairs and Maine Harness Racing

2012-01-29T14:29:00.002-05:00

OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS OF
THE MAINE ASSOCIATION OF AGRICULTURAL FAIRS -- 2012

You can download and print individual storyboards in this set.

2012 CONTACTS FOR MAINE'S AGRICULTURAL FAIRS

2012 DATES FOR MAINE'S AGRICULTURAL FAIRS

2012 DATES FOR MAINE HARNESS RACING

Lost Trotting Parks Launching A New Periodical -- The Maine Spirit of the Turf

2012-01-29T13:17:00.003-05:00

In February of 2012, the Lost Trotting Parks Heritage Center will be publishing a new Maine-based periodical, The Maine Spirit of the Turf. The publication will be designed in a format similar to the 19th century periodicals that features agricultural societies, horse breeders, horsemen, and those who enjoyed a fast horse. The Heritage Center seeks articles for this publication. Initially, the published will be distributed as an
e-zine -- a PDF distributed through e-mail. If you would like to submit an article or information that can be incorporated into one of the topics in the following storyboard, please attached that information as a MS Word file or type as an e-mail and

e-mail your information to lifework50@gmail.com. If you would like to be be on the e-mail distribution list, please send me an e-mail with your subscription request.

2012 Maine Fair Convention -- Exploring Ideas for Agricultural Museums

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2012 Maine Fair Commission -- Harness Racing Directors Meetings

2012-01-27T22:00:00.001-05:00

2012 Maine Fair Convention -- Exhibition Hall

2012-01-27T21:26:00.001-05:00

Once A Famous Horseman -- The Life and Times of Hod Nelson and Nelson 4209, his Famous Trotting Champion known as "The Northern King"

2012-01-26T10:24:00.000-05:00

Once the Famous Horseman from Sunnyside Farm in Waterville, Maine from Stephen Thompson on Vimeo.

This video offering is a first run. Since I dedicate my musical life to mastering mediocrity, you will realize that even for me the guitar playing and the vocals could be a bit better. However, this presentation gives you the opportunity to learn the history of Waterville's Charles Horace Nelson and his famous trotting stallion, Nelson 4209. The 4209 is Nelson's registration number. To learn more about Nelson and his famous stallion click on the Nelson 4209 Category.

Trotting Results of the 1921 Grand Old Maine State Fair of 1921 -- State Fair Park -- Lewiston, Maine

2012-01-25T13:23:00.001-05:00

In addition to the trotting results from the 1921 State Fair in Lewiston, this page from Wallace's Yearbook includes racing results from Lincoln and Livermore Falls. This page courtesy of Paul Wilder, Research Librarian, Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame, Goshen, New York.

Grand Old State Fair -- Sept 13 -16, 1921 -- State Fair Park -- Lewiston, Maine

2012-01-25T12:36:00.000-05:00

Maine Trotting Results -- Wallace Yearbook 1887

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Maine Trotting Results snipped from the Google digitized

copy of the 1887 Wallace Yearbook.

Maine Trotting Results -- 1889 -- from Wallace Yearbook

2012-01-22T16:48:00.001-05:00

Includes results at Charter Oak Park, Hartford, Connecticut -- Nelson Defeated!
Trotting results snipped by the Google digitized copy of the Wallace Yearbook.

2012 Harness Horsemen and Horsewomen's Banquet --- Calumet Club, Augusta, Maine

2012-01-22T05:12:00.002-05:00

Saturday -- On January 21, 2012, more than 200 Mainers attended the annual Harness Horsemen and Horsewomen's Banquet and Awards Night at the Calumet Club in Augusta, Maine. Organized by the Harness Horsemen's Association Executive Director, Wendy Ireland, the evening was filled with great conversations and celebration. The dinner prepared by the Calumet Club staff was excellent. My appreciation is extended to the Association for inviting the Lost Trotting Parks Heritage Center to set up a display in the banquet hall.

Here's looking forward to a great 2012!

Waterville, Maine -- December 17, 1955 -- Nelson Heights Streets Names for Famed Horses

2012-01-18T14:04:00.001-05:00

1890 Nelson 4209 Trade Card Printed in Cleveland, Ohio

2012-01-17T12:36:00.001-05:00

1901 Harness Racing Results -- Wallace Yearbook

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1901 Harness Racing Results snipped from the

Google digitized version of the 1901 Wallace Yearbook.

1894 Trotting Results -- Wallace Yearbook

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Horse and Stable -- Boston, Friday, February 7, 1890

2012-01-14T15:30:00.001-05:00

For best viewing, open each storyboard in a new window.

Right click on the image with your mouse and
select, open in new window.
-- Ctl +to increase image size and Ctl - to decrease image size --

Nelson -- King of the Stallions -- Cover of Dunton's Spirit of the Turf -- April 21, 1892

2012-01-11T22:37:00.001-05:00

Trotting and Pacing Results for 1913 -- The Horse Review

2012-01-10T23:27:00.001-05:00

Race results snipped from the Google digitized version of the Horse Review's 1913 Harness Racing Guide. By clicking an image you can review results by own in Photobucket. A number of the results consist of two or three files. The goal of this post was to give readers a quick look at the Maine towns supporting harness racing in 1913.

The Exhibitors at the 71st Maine Agricultural Trades Show -- The Augusta Civic Center, Augusta, Maine -- January 10, 1012

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Views of the 71st Maine Agricultural Trade Show, Augusta Civic Center, Augusta, Maine

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The 71ST Maine Agricultural Trade Show

2012-01-10T16:44:00.001-05:00

1951 -- Painting by Josef Arnetz -- Pershing Hanover Jimmy Jordan Up

2012-01-08T22:20:00.000-05:00

Last week I received a telephone call from Kirk Rau. Kirk was researching a painting that he had purchased at auction more than twenty years ago. The painting was of a harness racing horse by the name of Pershing Hanover with Jimmy Jordan up. As Kirk searched the web for information he found the Lost Trotting Parks Heritage Center blog. Today I visited with Kirk and he allowed me to photograph his painting and gave permission to share the image on the Lost Trotting Parks blog.

If anyone has any information or stories to share on the life of Jimmy Jordan or the horse Pershing Hanover, e-mail Stephen D. Thompson. Florence Drew of Augusta purchased Pershing Hanover at auction in 1945 for $1,700.00.

In Search of the Location of McFaul Park, Eastport, Maine

2012-01-07T12:19:00.001-05:00

Nat Pennell and Inez Lombardo from the Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District, located and copied the two aerial images on the left of the following storyboard. The aerial images were taken in 1944. The image, top right, provides a property lines overlay, pinpointing the property owned by the McFaul's. Robert P. Scott, Eastport's town assessor, provided us with this aerial photo. If the entire trotting track was on the McFaul property there are two possible locations. One location would have removed the track's halo due to the construction of the airport runways in 1940-1941. The second location on the property show little evidence of a track. However if you examine the top right of the 1944 aerial photos you can see evidence of two possible track halos. The halo extending off the runway is too short -- only around 800 feet in length. However, if you look at the open space slanting downward to the right you can see or perhaps sense the evidence of a trotting track. (One may be the victim of a heightened track halo imagination on this one.) If this were were location of the track, then the track would have been on property owned by the McFaul's and a neighbor. Newspaper accounts of the construction of McFaul Park stated that Alexander McFaul built the park. He may not have owned all of the property upon which it was built. This may be an effort that needs the involvement of more local folks. Somewhere in Eastport or in the home of a descendant of an old Eastport family there just may be a photograph, a program, or a poster. Back in the day a steamship from Calais ventured to Eastport so fans of the trotting races could be in attendance. Where did the steamer land and how did the fans get from the steamer to the track. I have contacted the Tides Institute and others in Washington County. Hopefully, we will find the answer!

S.A. Wathen & Son -- On the Farm in Fort Fairfield 1951

2012-01-02T13:54:00.001-05:00

Photographs courtesy of Wendell "Red" Wathen

From Stephen D. Thompson -- Creative Director & Founder of The Lost Trotting Parks Heritage Center

2011-12-30T10:03:00.001-05:00

2012 will be the year that The Lost Trotting Parks Heritage Center will become a registered non-profit organization with the State of Maine. The goal will be to move the center beyond being a one-person research project. With more than 100 Maine communities that once supported trotting parks and more than 150 years to explore, it is important to find a way to involve more individuals and organizations in this research. It has been wonderfully rewarding to have the cooperation of so many people and organizations that have allowed me to conduct this research and post findings to the LTP Blog. I look forward to 2012 and continuing the research on Maine's Lost Trotting Parks and the age of "When the Horse was King."

If you would like to be involved in the Lost Trotting Parks Project, email Stephen Thompson.

My best to each of you in 2012! Stephen D. Thompson

Out with the Old -- In with New -- Happy New Year 1882

2011-12-29T21:05:00.002-05:00

The Trotters and Pacers of the 19th Century -- A Tribute to Currier & Ives

2011-12-28T22:58:00.001-05:00

-- A Forgotten Era Brought to Life --

-- Imagine --

Happy New Year!

2011-12-27T22:53:00.003-05:00

Win a Free Lost Trotting Parks T-Shirt!

2011-12-27T16:44:00.001-05:00

The following link takes you to the Circa 1940 aerials of Cumberland and York Counties. You can win a free lost trotting parks t-shirt if you are one of the first ten persons to identify ten unique locations that are shown in these aerials images. The aerial photos are identified as Image 1, Image 2, etc. Send your locations identified by image number by e-mail no later than January 15, 2012 to Stephen Thompson. Be sure to include your physical mailing address.

Identify the Names of the Locations of the Lost Trotting Parks of Cumberland and York Counties -- Win a Free In-Stock Lost Trotting Parks T-Shirt

Circa 1940 Aerials of the Lost Trotting Parks of Cumberland and York Counties -- Can you identify the locations?

2011-12-25T13:34:00.001-05:00

There may be multiple photographs of the same

lost trotting park. Your challenge -- Find the halos

or remaining turns of the lost trotting parks!

Image 1

Image 2

Image 3

Image 4

Image 5

Image 6

Image 7

Image 8

Image 9

Image 10

Image 11

Image 12

Image 13

Image 14

Image 15

Image 16

Image 17

Image 18

Image 19

1890 and 1893 Articles from the Eastern Argus on Trotting Parks in Portland

2011-12-24T00:26:00.003-05:00

A Quick Sketch -- The History of Libbytown -- Check out the book, Deering: A Social and Architectural History by Patricia McGraw Anderson and William David Barry

2011-12-22T09:07:00.002-05:00

Libbytown's Lost Trotting Park -- 1871 Beers & Company Map of Portland and Google Earth Libbytown Location

2011-12-20T23:33:00.002-05:00

The Trotter Bill Wellman and the Forrest City Trotting Park

Libbytown Neighborhood in Portland, Maine
Libbytown -- Additional Data

Christmas 1886 -- Cover of the Gentlemen's Newspaper -- The Spirit of the Times

2011-12-20T19:31:00.001-05:00

Each year many of the newspapers and periodicals would create front pages for Christmas and New Years. This storyboard represents the front cover of the December 1886 issue of the Spirit of the Times.

Post Card Images of Maine

2011-12-20T10:19:00.003-05:00

The Elmwood Hotel in Waterville, Maine was home to
Hod and Emma Nelson
for at least eight years between 1882 and 1892.

Holiday Greetings from the Lost Trotting Parks Heritage Center

2011-12-19T21:30:00.001-05:00

Track and Stable Gossip -- Kennebec Journal -- March 18, 1895

2011-12-19T14:47:00.002-05:00

The Pedigree of Nelson 4209 -- A Descendant of Hambletonian 10 and Sherman Morgan

2011-12-19T10:54:00.002-05:00

Trotting Cousins -- Morgans and Standardbreds

2011-12-19T10:50:00.000-05:00

Cathy Moores e-mailed me this link.
I hope you enjoy the article!

The Morgan Horse -- Standardbred Connection

1895 through 1899 Trotting Results at McFaul Park in Eastport -- 1890's World Champion Trotting Stallion Nelson from Waterville's Sunnyside Farm Trotted An Exhibition Mile in 1895

2011-12-16T17:37:00.001-05:00

The Eastport Trotting Results Storyboard presents

the results for the Wednesday August 4th Races in 1897.

McFaul Park was built by Alexander McFaul
of Pembroke and Eastport.

From Calais to Eastport by Steamship for
the Races at McFaul Park

Portland's Lost Trotting Park -- Today surrounded by Read Street, Torrey Street, and Canco Road

2011-12-14T15:12:00.001-05:00

Source for text:

Deering -- A Social and Architectural History

by William David Berry & Patricia McGraw Anderson
Great Portland Landmarks

Were there two trotting parks in East Brunswick?

2011-12-13T09:40:00.001-05:00

Source Article for Trotting Parks in Portland, Maine

2011-12-11T19:36:00.001-05:00

While working on a research project at the Fogler Libary, Clark Thompson found a March 18, 1895 column in the Kennbec Journal called "Track and Stable Gossip." This article provided information on trotting racks in Portland.

1858 -- A Trip to Island Park

2011-12-10T22:52:00.001-05:00

John Lawrence found the Google digitized book,
A Trip to Portland. As John read pages 41 and 42,

he realized that he was reading a trip that was being

taken to the Island Park Trotting Park.

Island Park -- An Article from the South Portland Historical Society

Perhaps Coincidental -- Almost an Oval on North Street Above Walnut Street -- The East Ends Lost Trotting Park

2011-12-09T22:26:00.001-05:00

Munjoy Hill's Lost Trotting Park

2011-12-08T23:05:00.001-05:00

Google Earth's View of Bramhall's Hill -- Site of 1850's Trotting Park

2011-12-08T11:09:00.001-05:00

The exact location of this park is unknown. To date
we have found no maps that show the location. The

location marker in this storyboard represents the size

of a half mile track.

Report in 1850's Describes Trotting Park Built on Bramhall's Hill for Maine State Fair

2011-12-08T09:52:00.001-05:00

Maine Sire Stakes Storyboard Initiative

2011-12-06T21:30:00.001-05:00

To view these storyboards: When your cursor is on a storyboard, right click your mouse and select either open in a new window or a new tab. This will allow you to enlarge the storyboard for viewing.

The Maine Sire Stakes Storyboard Initiative will attempt to create storyboards that will tell the stories of the horses, owners, trainers, and drivers who have won Maine Sire Stake Races. Several months ago Diane Perkins sent John Peck ,who designed and published Classicfamilies.net, Maine Sire Stakes information. That data was entered into the Classic Families database and is now available on the Internet.With this data as a starting point, Lost Trotting Parks will create and implement a plan that will result in displays of the winning Maine Sire Stakes horses. If you owned one of these horses, please contact Stephen D. Thompson by telephone (207-623-3076) or by emailing lifework50@gmail.com.

An 1840 Slice of Maine -- The Maine Farmer and Journal of the Arts -- August 8, 1840

2011-12-05T12:21:00.001-05:00

This issue of the Maine Farmer is offered for

your viewing to read the content reported in
August of 1840. At this point Maine's horse
breeding industry was not yet recognized.

For best reading open each storyboard in

a new window or in a new tab.

Lost Trotting Parks 10 Most Viewed Posts

2011-12-02T22:18:00.001-05:00

If you explore the Lost Trotting Parks Blog by Categories,

you will be able to explore LTP storyboards that will create

a better understanding for this age within that category. For

example, explore the LTP Blog by Maine Counties.

Buttonwood -- 2.17 Performer owned by the International Stock Food Company

2011-11-29T20:23:00.001-05:00

Buttonwood 2.17 -- Can you identify this image?

2011-11-29T19:04:00.001-05:00

The image of Buttonwood was either mounted

on or painted on the back of this cardboard advertisement.

Wathen's Eulamite and Scotty H (1940's)

2011-11-29T10:37:00.001-05:00

Wathen's Scotch Fez -- 1946 Hambletonian -- Sold to Party in France

2011-11-28T22:24:00.001-05:00

Maine Horses in the Hambletonian -- Scotch Fez 1946 - S.A. Wathen & Son

Prix d'Amerique 1950 - Scotch Fez / Sören Nordin

Scotch Fez -- Pedigree (Classicfamilies.net)

Scotch Fez -- Pedigree (Allbreedpedigree.com)

Poetry in Motion -- Bass Park -- Bangor, Maine -- Late 1940's

2011-11-28T17:01:00.001-05:00

Volo H -- Red -- Gary -- Wendall Wathen -- 1940's

2011-11-28T16:51:00.001-05:00

Wathen's Guy H 2.00 3/4 at Lexington, Kentucky -- October 1944

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Dale H Winning at Skowhegan -- Wathen Up -- 1940's

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Wathen's Volo H at the Windsor Fairgrounds -- 1940's

2011-11-28T16:06:00.001-05:00

Wathen's Volo H Defeats H.E. Direct and Court Jester at the Kite Track -- 1940's

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Wathen's Scotty H. Defeats Janet Abbe Tweedie Outside Second!

2011-11-28T14:57:00.001-05:00

Wathen's Calumet Elam 2.06 1/4 Winning at Cornish, Maine -- Wathen Up!

2011-11-28T14:44:00.001-05:00

The Wathens with Dude McKlyo at the 76th Exeter Fair

2011-11-28T11:26:00.001-05:00

Guy Dale in Action -- Cal Abbe Winning at Gorham, Maine

2011-11-28T11:07:00.001-05:00

Horsemen of the Late 1930's

2011-11-28T09:58:00.001-05:00

The Wathen's of Fort Fairfield, Maine -- Two of their Horses Performed in the Hambletonian at the Good Time Park in Goshen, NY

2011-11-22T08:23:00.001-05:00

A while back I created a series of storyboards on Maine horses in the Hambletonian. This initiative resulted in connecting with Wendell 'Red' Wathen who now lives in Southern Pines, North Carolina. Wendell loaned me the family photo album that tells the story of the Wathams and their horses. When I finish scanning photos more storyboards will appear. I appreciate the opportunity Wendell has given me to visually tell their story.

Saco Driving Park Location Today and 1916

2011-11-15T22:36:00.001-05:00

Saco Driving Park Hosts the 1898 York County Fair

2011-11-15T08:32:00.001-05:00

1871 Map with Belfast's Lost Trotting Park

2011-11-13T23:04:00.001-05:00

Lost Trotting Park in Windham, Maine

2011-11-12T20:07:00.001-05:00

Dennis St. Pierre dropped by and we reviewed my placement of the track in the Google Earth aerial. We both agreed that I had placed the track in the wrong location. The track I outlined would have been almost 1400 feet long. The location of the track is up the road a bit and only 850 feet in length. The track may habe been a training track. We'll check in with the Windham Historical Society.

Corrected Location of Windham Track

From the Maine Press Association -- 1898

2011-11-12T13:08:00.001-05:00

Courtesy of Peter Stowell

Roadmaster 2.22 and Patt Legg 2.25 -- A Crack Team -- Cover Image Turf, Farm & Home -- February 16, 1894

2011-11-10T22:01:00.001-05:00

Turf, Farm, and Home -- February 16, 1894

2011-11-10T21:55:00.001-05:00

This post consists of selected pages from the
February 16, 1894 issue of the periodical,

Turf, Farm, and Home. The text found
within the T.F. & H will give you an insight

into the life of a horseman in 1894.

Maine Horses and Horsemen -- Turf, Farm, and Home -- October 31, 1906

2011-11-09T23:41:00.001-05:00

Training the Colt

Has the Horse Sense?

Who Wouldn't Be a Horseman?

Pine Tree Stock Farm For Sale

Farmingdale, Maine

Once a Golf Course, Now Owned by CMP

1938 Aerial View of the Pine Tree Stock Farm

Blue Skies -- Early morning greets the horseman in these times of change. Uploaded to Vimeo

2011-11-09T14:18:00.001-05:00

In 1893 a financial panic gripped the United States. As a result many horse breeders left the business. Horseman were unable to pay fees at the tracks. Harness racing and horse breeding had entered difficult times. Many tracks closed. Later with the introduction of the automobile, the times were changing. Hod Nelson, who gained his fame through his champion trotting stallion Nelson, owned Sunnyside Stock Farm. The seventy acre farm was located on the Oakland Road in Waterville, Maine (now Kennedy Memorial Drive) with the Kennebec River to the East. This song perhaps reflects some of the emotions thought by horsemen during this time period. The horse was our worker in the field, our transportation to the marketplace, a key contributor to our economy, our warrior in the battlefield, and our entertainment at fairgrounds and trotting tracks throughout Maine. At one time trotting tracks were built in more than 100 Maine communities. Maine's harness horsemen, standardbred horses, horse breeding and harness racing have long been a Maine tradition -- a way of life.

Blue Skies from Stephen Thompson on Vimeo.
Blue Skies -- Copyright 2011 -- Stephen D. Thompson

Albion's Lost Trotting Park Location

2011-11-08T13:10:00.001-05:00

Nelson 4209 -- Nelson the Northern King -- Article -- December 19, 1889 -- The Horseman

2011-11-01T13:45:00.001-04:00

Vote Yes on 2

2011-10-31T20:04:00.000-04:00

If you have ever jogged a horse or stood in a pasture surrounded by mares and their foals, you would vote yes on 2.

VoteYes on 2

For thelast three years I have researched the history of harness racing in the Stateof Maine. Back in the day when the horse was king, more than 100 Mainecommunities supported harness racing events. From Bethel to Calais, Kennebunkto Van Buren, Kingfield to Camden, Mainers attended harness racing events. Thehorse was king! Mainers loved their horses. Maine’s newspapers followed theirhorses and with expectation readers awaited the latest news related to horsebreeding and harness racing. In the early 1890s, Mainers followed the reportson the champion trotting stallion Nelson as he competed in faraway trottingparks in Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan. Nelson 4209 was owned byPalermo born, Charles Horace Nelson, who operated the Sunnyside Stock Farm inWaterville, Maine.

Most ofthis history has been forgotten. News related to horse breeding and harnessracing is no longer the news of the day. However, today, Maine’s horse industryis endangered by the advent of other forms of gambling – the slots, tablegames, and the lottery have taken money away from the harness racing industry.Between 1950 and 1973 harness racing purses were supporting the industry. Thenwith the introduction of the Maine State Lottery, the expendable income of manyMainers moved from betting on harness racing to betting on the lottery. Withracinos and casinos more expendable income may go to the slots or to the tablegames. By the nature of their business and state legislation racinos supportharness racing. Casinos do not. I believe few or no funds from the Maine StateLottery support harness racing.

Mainersneed to realize that by Voting Yes on 2, Mainers will be supporting the entirehorse industry in the State of Maine. Owners, breeders, trainers, horse supplystores, veterinarians, stable owners, farmers who supply hay, farriers, andmany others will be remain in business with a Yes Vote on 2.

Maine’slong history in the horse industry needs to be preserved. Voting Yes on 2 willcontribute greatly to keeping Maine’s horse industry alive. Let’s bring newlife and permanence to this industry so that future generations of Mainers canenjoy this sport and perhaps participate in the industry.

VotingYes on 2 will also bring construction jobs to Biddeford and to Calais. When theconstruction is completed many full-time and part-time jobs will be createdthat will help Maine’s working families in need of income.

Fundsfrom Maine’s lottery, racinos and casinos must support worthy causes throughoutMaine. One of those causes that needs to be supported by these funds is Maine’sharness racing industry. Vote Yes on 2!

By VotingYes on 2 you support the livelihoods of your fellow Mainers who work in Maine’sharness racing and horse related industries.

-- A Visit to a Maine Horse Farm --

Selected Definitions from Handbook of the Turf 1910

2011-10-31T10:37:00.003-04:00

The Handbook of the Turf originally published in 1894 by Samuel L. Boardman provides definitions of terms related to horsemen and harness racing. I have selected definitions that I believe would be of interest to those following the Lost Trotting Parks Blog. In addition to the story of Messenger, Boardman also highlighted the Northern King, a name given to the champion trotting stallion Nelson. This version of the Handbook was published in 1910.

Click here to view the entire Google Digital version of Handbook of the Turf!

Selected Definitions from Handbook of the Turf 1910

2011-10-31T10:36:00.000-04:00

Selected Definitions from Handbook of the Turf 1910

2011-10-31T10:34:00.001-04:00

Even The New York Times Reported the Death of Nelson 4209

2011-10-29T09:35:00.001-04:00

Did C.H. Nelson Use a Bicycle or High Wheel Sulky at Trenton, New Jersey

2011-10-28T21:02:00.001-04:00

Washington County's Lost Trotting Parks

2011-10-26T22:38:00.000-04:00

Check out the Lost Trotting Parks of Washington County!

Calais

Danforth

Eastport

Pembroke

Jonesboro

Cherryfield

Machias
Princeton

Alexander's Horseman raced on the roads
with a church corner the starting point.

Name the Washington County Horseman
whose horse raced in the Hambletonian.

Washington County's Rich Yet Forgotten Harness Racing History

2011-10-26T22:33:00.001-04:00

Images saved from Google Earth.

The American Sportsman -- October 2, 1890

2011-10-23T21:41:00.000-04:00

This post presents the October 2, 1890 issue of The American Sportsman. This post presents the latest 2.30 list of horses and a brief description of the life and times of Charles Horace Nelson and his champion trotting stallion Nelson 4209. In September of 1890, Nelson trotted his record times at tracks in Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa. Prior to his record setting performances, Nelson was caught in the fix at the Balch National Stallion Races at Beacon Park in Boston, MA. This post highlights items that were of great interest to horsemen and other sports enthusiasts.

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Topographical Maps of New England's Lost Trotting Parks

2011-10-21T07:52:00.001-04:00