Common to All -- The Horse -- Worker in the Field, Transportation, Entertainment, Warrior in the Battlefield

As I look back at the last two years doing lost trotting parks research, I am amazed at how Mainers across all Maine communities held great interest in their horses and horse related events. The Maine Farmer, the Lewiston Sun Journal, the Kennebec Journal, The Morning Sentinel, the Maine Horse Breeders' Monthly, and Turf, Farm and Home printed horse columns. Reports on horse breeders and horses were printed in Hallowell newspapers of the 1890's. This was the age of 'When the Horse was King." Mainers loved their horses and would read the newspaper to learn more about horse breeders, harness racing results, and famous horses across the State and throughout our nation. Back in the day from Kennebunk to Van Buren, Bethel to Calais, Bar Harbor to Hartland trotting track were built in more than 100 Maine communities. In 1907 Turf, Farm and Home advertised harness racing in Bath, Camden, Rockland, Madison, Newport, Waterville, Bangor, and other Maine towns. Except for Bangor, the trotting parks in these communities are gone -- gone to industrial development, school yards, neighborhoods, a movie theater, forests, and hospitals.

As I look at Maine today I can not see a theme that crosses all Maine communities that would be reported statewide with interest and read by people in all Maine communities. Perhaps we need to look back at this age and then explore what it means to be a Mainer today. Explore the possibilities and the commonalities so that we too can find ways to communicate and gain a greater appreciation for who we are and what we share.