The Lost Trotting Parks Heritage Center -- Storyboard Archives: Camden's Lost Trotting Park -- 1902

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Camden's Lost Trotting Park -- 1902

This past Saturday we traveled to Camden to enjoy the sun, the ocean, eat seafood, and shop. I also found time to drop by the Edward J. Walsh History Center located on the second floor of the Camden Public Library. At the History Center I first met Sandy Delano. I had spoken with him as he was volunteering with the Rockland Historical Society. Eventually, Heather Bilodeau who is the coordinator of the History Center returned.

The center was amazingly organized, attractive, and engaging. Heather's aunt, Barbara Dyer is a long time resident of Camden and author of several books on Camden.

The following storyboard was created with images and information obtained from the History Center.

"This year the Camden Trotting Park, owned by the Camden Trotting Park Association, opened with a most successful celebration on July 4. This park has an excellent half mile track, and is the only park in the state having a sub-way entrance. It has since been the scene of. many successful celebrations and races and for a number of years several successful and interesting fairs were held there."

Excerpt from The History of Camden and Rockport, Maine by Reuel Robinson

Trotting occurred in this park for only four years. Holly Bean tried to sell the trotting park to town of Camden. It was bought by a business as a location for storing ice. The town eventually bought the land.

In a quick review of the local newspaper for the year 1902, baseball games were the most reported activity.

Note: Last week I read a short report in an 1895 Maine Farmer issue that indicated that trotting was beginning in the town of Rockport. Barbara Dyer, a local historian, has no knowledge of a trotting park in Rockport. Officials at the Rockport Town Office also reported no such knowledge.

Following is the contact information for the Edward J. Walsh History Center:

Contact: 207-236-3440 Ext. 21

Email: archives@librarycamden.org

Mail: 55 Main Street, Camden, Maine 04843 Web: www.librarycamden.org

Hours:Wednesday -- Saturday 9:30 to 4:00Tuesday 9:30 to 8:00

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Mission of Lost Trotting Parks

The mission of the Lost Trotting Parks Heritage Center is to preserve the stories and images of the 19th century to present day that illustrate the history of Maine's harness racing, lost trotting parks, fairs, agricultural societies, Granges, and the significance of the of the horse in society.

Our plan is to reach our mission is through Preservation, Education, Promotion and Partnerships.

Through the Center's website and educational outreach to Maine school students, community organizations, agricultural fairs, and businesses, the Center will retell the once told stories of a slice of Maine history that is quickly being forgotten. Most Mainers have lost their connection to the horse and the horse's contribution to a past way of life. Maine people who work in the harness racing industry are today's living history of the age when the horse was king. Through your financial support of the Lost Trotting Parks Heritage Center, you will help to tell the stories of Maine Harness Racing and horse breeding throughout the ages.

FOR BETTER VIEWING

Lost Trotting Parks storyboards are typically 12 by 18 inches. To view storyboards, click on the storyboard and it will automatically open as a larger image. If there are multiple storyboards in a post, click on the first image. This will create a slideshow that you control by clicking on the next image icon that you will see at the bottom of your screen.

If the storyboards are still too small to view text, open individual storyboards in a separate window. This allows you to enlarge the storyboards to read text and view images in greater detail. To open a storyboard in a new window, place your cursor over the image, right click on your mouse, and select open in a new window. This will allow you to use Ctrl + and Ctrl - to control the size of the storyboard. When you are finished viewing the storyboard, close the window and you will return to the LTP blog.

Trotting Horse Art Detectives

In the 1891, Colorado artist, C.B. Fish, produced an oil painting of the famous trotting stallion Nelson. The Lewiston Sun Journal reported that Fish had completed the painting and would ship it to Sunnyside Farm. Fish also painted a trotter from Skowhegan named All-So. We do not know if the painting of Nelson still exists. The two paintings below are examples of Fish's work. If you have knowledge of the oil painting of Nelson, please e-mail Stephen Thompson at lifework50@gmail.com or call 207-623-3076.

The Fish pictures were made available by Gallery 44.

To inquire about the Fish paintings contact:

http://www.gallery44llc.com

Maine's Trotting Horse Heritage Trail

Published in 2009, Maine’s Trotting Horse Heritage Trail, guides readers through the golden age of the trotting horse. Covering the period between 1820 and 1892, the author, Clark P. Thompson of Bangor, Maine, introduces us to the horses, the people, and places that established the trotting industry in the State of Maine. Thompson’s well researched publication highlights twenty key moments in Maine’s evolvement in trotting. The Heritage Trail begins in Old Orchard Beach and ends in Dover-Foxcroft. This book is your guide to historical markers that have been inscribed and placed in designated Maine communities.

Journey with us and return to the Golden Age of Trotting.

In the book’s foreword, Michael, D. Andrew, President of the Maine Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association, states, “With this book, Clark Thompson has done us a great service by memorializing some of the great progenitors of the Maine trotter, the owners who supported breeding and racing, and the tracks where these horses pleased thousands of Mainers in the 1800s.”

For more information about this book and how to obtain a copy, contact Clark P. Thompson by e-mailing

clarkprice@msn.com.

Maine's Lost Trotting Parks --- OUR MISSION

The trotting industry flourished from the 1820s through the early 1900s. There are a number of reasons that for many the excitement and interest in trotting has diminished. However, the trotting industry still exists. Its history is still rich. Our mission is to conduct research that will reveal to us the history of Maine's forgotten Trotting Tracks and bring back the images and people of another age. Our posts of the Belfast Trotting Track are examples of what we are attempting to find. We will partner with local historical societies, work with local government, and individuals interested in this endeavor. Contact us and help us to fulfill our mission.

NOTE: News articles and other text displayed on this web site are existing texts given to me for use on The Lost Trotting Parks Blog. There has been no additional research on my part to ensure that these accounts are accurate.

Stephen D. Thompson

P.O. Box 263

Hallowell, Maine 04347

E-Mail: lifework50@gmail.com

Cell Phone: 207-623-3076

Nelson Memorabilia

Nelson, the champion trotter, was owned by C.H. Nelson of Waterville, Maine. C.H. (Hod) Nelson owned and operated Sunnyside Horse Farm. The farm's location is where the JFK Mall is now located. At one time, Nelson owned the fairgrounds of the North Kennebec Agricultural and Horticultural Society. We are seeking individuals or organizations that may have Nelson memorabilia, photographs, equipment, and trophies. In addition, we are looking for photographs of the fairgrounds and trotting track that was once located behind the Pine Grove Cemetery. If you have information regarding Nelson or the fairgrounds, please e-mail Stephen Thompson (lifework50@gmail.com) or call 207-623-3076.

Citizens of Bethel Form Riverside Park Trotting Association

5-8-1891 Oxford County Advertiser:

Bethel: The citizens of Bethel met Tuesday and formed an organization known as The Riverside Park Trotting Association and chose the following officers: C.M. Wormell, president; J.A. Twaddle, vice president; E.M. Walker, secretary; E.S. Kilborn, treasurer; trustees, G.P. Bean, chairman; J.M. Philbrook, H.M. Hastings, Moses A. Mason, O.P. Farrington, E.C. Rowe. The trustees have leased the land for ten years and intend to have one of the best tracks in the state. The location and land are all that could be asked for the trustees mean business and will spare no pains or money.

Text from work of Donald Bennett, Bethel, Maine

Check out The Bethel Journals!

The Bethel Historical Society

Maine's Turf, Farm and Home

The newspaper, Turf, Farm, and Home was first published in Auburn, Maine around 1890. This newspaper was considered the horseman's periodical. In 1897, the paper merged with Maine's Horse Breeders' Monthly and J.W. Thompson of Canton became the editor. About 1912, the Turf, Farm and Home merged with the Maine Press and continued publication until 1920. The Fogler Library has issues from 1912 on. However, there are only 24 documented issues of the paper between 1890 and 1912.

This is a call for issues of the Turf, Farm, and Home.

Contact Stephen Thompson at 207-623-3076, if you know where there are existing issues of this newspaper.

Issues from 1890 to 1910 will tell the stories of Maine Horsemen

during the age of 'When the Horse was King.'

The Lost Trotting Parks Storyboard Archives

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Camden's Lost Trotting Park -- 1902

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