Charter Oak Park -- Alcryon Defeats Nelson -- 1889

During the age of "When the Horse was King,"
Charter Oak Park in West Hartford, Connecticut,

was a Grand Circuit Trotting Track. In 1889,

Alcryon defeated Nelson. Nelson won the first
heat by ten lengths. Alcryon won the next

three heats. C.H. Nelson blamed the lost on his
horse's lack of conditioning. Others blamed Nelson's
driver. Newspaper accounts indicated that there were
excessive starts. The starter was known to have his favorites.

According to a 1917 map, Charter Oak Park became the fairgrounds

of the Connecticut Fairgrounds Association. The track and

fairgrounds were still visible in aerial photographs

taken in 1934. Today, the land is the home to BJ's, Home Depot,

a Colt Manufacturing Plant, an armory, a Goodrich Tire Plant,

and a playground with soccer fields and tennis courts.

The only reminder of its former use is one street named

Charter Oak Boulevard.