Saturday, August 8th, 1891 -
The Grand Opening Trot of the Riverside Trotting Association opened at Riverside Park Bethel Riverside Park
Green horses: $15.00 purse
General Gideon owned by Dr. Twaddle
John F. owned by Charles Farrington
Lady Chapman owned by Prof. Cjhapman
George K. owned by Geroge King
Sir Pryor owned by Smith Brothers
Butcher Boy owned by C.C. Bryant
2:55 Class Purse $25.00
Ehrlacher owned by L.A. Hall
Tom P. owned by Prof. W.R. Chapman
Redwood owned by H.L. Hastings
Mollie owned by Smith Brothers
Victor C. owned by E. Howe
Free for All. Purse $35.00
Owasso owned by G.P. Fernald
Fanny W. owned by Sheriff C.M. Wormell
Bell Boyd owned by H.L. Hasting
Wilder Patchen owned by Charles Farrington
More about Riverside Trotting Park in Bethel
ReplyDeleteJune 2, 2009
1892 Bethel Journal
August 2, 1892 news reported horse trot excitement: It is a mark of great enterprise on the part of the managers of Riverside Park Association to get “Nelson” (renowned trotter) here. Eminent horsemen from New York and Pennsylvania have inspected our track and pronounce it best half-mile track in New England.
More news came on August 23rd, 1892. Bethel: The big event of the summer occurred over at Riverside Trotting Park when the great trotter Nelson was on hand for special races, Thursday and Friday, August 18 and 19. The ladies of the Universalist Church had a special pavilion erected that was forty feet long and two tables wide to serve a bean supper with accompaniments to those who were attending the races. Reports from Newry, East Bethel, Mason and Rumford Center indicated that many planned to attend the event. The Bethel correspondent reported, “This has been a busy week in Bethel. Nelson has been here and crowds of people have seen him. There were some good races. Mr. Nelson (the famous trotter’s owner) pronounced the track one of the best in New England.”
According to a Harness Racing Hall of Fame website, Nelson was bred by C.H. Nelson of Waterville, Maine who trained and drove him through out his long career. Nelson lived from 1882 to 1909, 27 years. On September 6, 1890, he set a world record for a half mile track by trotting it in 2:15 ¼ minutes. Nelson’s career record was set in 1893 at Rigby Park in South Portland when harnessed in a new low wheel “bike” he trotted against the clock for 2:09. He died December 4, 1909 at Sunnyside Farm, Waterville, ME.
1893 Bethel Journal
The Fourth of July passed quietly with no drunken rows. There was a large gathering at the races at Riverside Park.
In a special article about the Fourth of July Races at Bethel, it was reported that a goodly number of people from Norway and South Paris came on the train to watch the races. Also, the bicycle races were a big attraction and each race was well filled. Ed Thayer was behind Griffin, the Andover favorite; Charles Crosby, the Norway trainer, was guiding H.P.E. while Dr. G. W. Fernald tried to get Owoissa under the wire first. Judges were W.H. Warren, Norway, starter; Dr. J. A. Twaddle and H.S. Hastings, Bethel, timers, and timers: W.T. Abbott, Prof. W.R. Chapman and H.L. Horne. Only one large wheeled sulky was used in the race
July 21, 1893 Advertiser
Sale of the Mason Farm: The sale of the Mason farm, Bethel, on which is the Riverside Trotting Park has been made. Three years ago a company was organized in this village and leased of Mr. Mason the right to build a track on his land. The conditions were that the company should build the track and give him 25 per cent of all the gate money and all he could make outside, and at the end of ten years the track should revert to him or the owner of the farm.
Saturday Mr. Mason sold his entire farm and track to Charles Ryerson of Upton for $10,000. Mr. Ryerson of Upton is a large lumber operatory and has bought this for his future home. He will continue his lumbering during the winter season. He intends to convert the large two-story house into a hotel.
August 4, 1893 Advertiser
Bethel Trot: There will be a trot and base ball tournament on the Riverside Driving Park Tuesday and Wednesday, August 22 and 23. Arrangements will be made with the Grand Trunk so passengers can go east after the race. E.M. Walker, Sec., says: Owoissa and Griffin will be matched for a race to ascertain which is the speediest and the gamiest horse.
On August 9th Owoissa trotted a mile in 2:29 3/4 at Riverside Trotting Park
1894 Bethel Journal
September 11—13, 1894
Bethel’s Fourth Annual Fair— “A Most Successful Exhibition at Bethel.. Fast Trotting, Good Weather and Big Crowd.
Owners of horses in the trot and pace race on the 1st day were from Bethel, Canton, Windham, East Sumner, Bryant’s Pond, Gorham, NH., and Hanover
Submitted by Donald Bennett, Bethel, Maine
Courtesy of Donald Bennett, Bethel, Maine --
ReplyDeleteIn 1890 there was a fair and trotting park that turned out to be a trial run for the next year. The Congregational church in Mayville dissolved the summer of 1890 but did not get used as an exhibit hall until the next year. A old hall in Bethel Village was used instead. The same hall was also the Bethel Grange Hall and had been the place for town meetings.
10/14/1890 Democrat:
Bethel: The cattle show and fair at Bethel Tuesday was a grand success.
Pattee’s Hall was well filled with products from the farm and dairy, and the walls were filled with paintings that would do credit to an art gallery. Quilts, comfortables and stockings showed that wives and daughters had not neglected their useful duties of the household although they did find time to cultivate the ornamental.
The trotting park of M.A. Mason was the men’s center of attention. Fine cattle, horses, sheep and swine were on exhibit. The drawing matches were creditable to the oxen and horses and the trotting park drew much excitement. Some potatoes were still in the ground and apples on the trees when the season’s first snow came on Wednesday.
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.