by Yvonne B. Nowlin
While the next year's events were undoubtedly similar, even more attention seems to have been placed on horse trotting during the 1892 fair. Indeed, trotting events were to be held during the weeks before the actual opening of the fair in years to come. Announced as "a mark of great enterprise on the part of the managers of Riverside Park Association," trotting races took place on August 18th and 19th which included the famous trotter, "Nelson." Before the races took place "eminent horsemen" from Pennsylvania and New York inspected the track and pronounced it to be one of the best half-mile tracks in New England. Large crowds gathered to witness this sporting event of the season, before the actual fair took place. During the August trotting events, ladies of the Bethel Universalist Society furnished dinner at Riverside Park in their new "pavilion" erected on the grounds. Some forty feet long, and wide enough for two tables running throughout its length, the structure, in later years, housed the annual Universalist Sunday School picnic which was held during the first week of September.
The Bethel Agricultural Fair was held at Riverside Park Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, September 20-21-22,1892. Good purses were offered and the show of stock was large and of a high standard. Most important of many improvements since the previous year's fair was the construction of a large grandstand next to the trotting track. With its expanded facilities and interesting hall exhibits (held for the second time in the former Mayville Church), the 1892 fair passed as a very successful gathering for the promotion of local agriculture.
Riverside Park was located in the top left corner of this 1914 map of Bethel,
opposite Riverside Cemetery and just to the right of the numbers "657"
Map courtesy of Donald G. Bennett
Previous to the fair of 1893, the property on which Riverside Park was located was sold by Moses A. Mason to Charles Ryerson of Upton, Maine, for $10,000. The sale included the Mason homestead, its many out-buildings, and the nearby trotting track, as well as nearly 200 acres of timberland. A lumber operator and hotel owner, Ryerson had purchased the Lake House at Upton in 1875; he and his wife, Ellen, successfully managed this important hostelry for many years. Upon his arrival in Bethel in 1893, Ryerson began the reconstruction of the Mason homestead, which in its expanded form became known as the "Riverside House." Moses A Mason, the former owner, soon left Bethel on a trip that included the Chicago World's Fair and a short visit in Washington, D.C. (Apparently unsatisfied with other parts of the country, Mason soon returned to Bethel where he resumed residence and became a trustee of the Riverside Park Association.) The existing lease arrangement continued between Ryerson and the Riverside Park Association, for announcements of a trot and baseball tournament to be held August 22 and 23 soon appeared in local papers. For a special race held on August 23 between the horses "Griffin" and "Orvaissa" (the latter owned by G. W. Fernald of Bethel), reduced rates were offered to people taking the Grand Trunk to Bethel, and the Bethel Chair Factory shut down to allow workmen to take in the racing.
The Bethel Agricultural Fair was held at Riverside Park Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, September 20-21-22,1892. Good purses were offered and the show of stock was large and of a high standard. Most important of many improvements since the previous year's fair was the construction of a large grandstand next to the trotting track. With its expanded facilities and interesting hall exhibits (held for the second time in the former Mayville Church), the 1892 fair passed as a very successful gathering for the promotion of local agriculture.
Riverside Park was located in the top left corner of this 1914 map of Bethel,
opposite Riverside Cemetery and just to the right of the numbers "657"
Map courtesy of Donald G. Bennett
The following is from the Bethel News, July 8, 1896.
ReplyDeleteThe 4th of July races: Owing to bad weather and the unusual attraction at Norway the crowd was less than expected.
Bicycle races—novice 1/2 mile. First was Ernest Demeritt, second, George Merrow, third, A.P. Holman of South Paris. Half mile boys race: First, Robert Bisbee; second, George H. French and third, Geo P. Ryerson. 1 mile amateur: First, E.M. Sweet, South Paris; second, Walter Lawrence; third, Ernest Demeritt. Half mile amateur: First, E.M. Sweet; second, Walter Lawrence and third, Otis E. Baker.
The afternoon horse racing was rated as the park’s best ever.
3.00 Class: Purse $75, First, Nellie Bly, owner J.M. Johnson; second, King, owner H.S. Hastings; and third, Norland, owner William Gregg.
2.35 Class: Purse $100, First, Belle Wilkes, owner F.S. Smith, second, Robenia, owner W.R. Chapman.
2.28 Class, Purse $100, first, Hector Boone, owner J.C. Swasey; second, Stamen Patron, owner W.R. Chapman.
We want to congratulate Mr. Chapman on his new stallion, Stamen Patron. His breeding was so great that much was expected from him, but we had no idea he was such a race horse. We cannot remember seeing so much speed from any stallion except Nelson, Bayard Wilkes and Nichols, as this wonderful little horse showed going to the half in 1.13 on muddy track in third heat and it was very evident that when he jogged under the wire in the second heat in 2.32 that he could have trotted the heat in 25, had Merrill made a drive for it. Many thought he should have had the third heat and race.
It is very much to the credit of the association that they did not declare the race off on account of the bad weather.
Courtsey of Don Bennett, Bethel Maine