The Lost Trotting Parks Heritage Center -- Storyboard Archives: Comments by Bob Lieberman, Member of the New England Harness Writers Association

Monday, March 14, 2011

Comments by Bob Lieberman, Member of the New England Harness Writers Association

"A Touch of Class"

My name is Bob Lieberman and am a member of the New England Harness Writers Association, along with being the Secretary and Treasurer of the Chapter.

It was a pleasure to be told about your website and was amazed at how thorough you were, in putting together a true history of what life was like, over one hundred and fifty years ago. It seems that the dollar was worth a heck of a lot more then, than it is now.

I want to commend you on the work that you did, because it is a pleasure to find someone that has the interest of harness racing still at heart, who would be willing to gather all those facts and pictures and make it available to the diehart harness racing fans that still exist and to those future harness fans that want to look back in time.

We are fortunate in New England, to be able to view some great fair races that take place in Barton, Vermont, but are even luckier to be able to watch the State of Maine, put forth a great schedule of Fall fair races that send you back in time, even if it`s only for one, two or even three hours. The camaraderie that is created, during the days of racing is " priceless."

I got involved with my first horse in 1969 and have been hooked "On Harness " ever since.

I have been involved with the chapter since 1991 and was the President in 1994/1995, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010, have been and am currently involved with two committees on the National level. I repeat again, it was a pleasure to climb aboard your website.

Members of the New England Harness Writers Association

Standing Left to Right: Bob Lieberman, Paul Fontaine, President of

Harness Tracks of America), Bill Ellis, and Bill Faucher

NOTE:

I appreciate Bob's comments and thank him for taking the time to visit the online Lost Trotting Parks Heritage Center. A great deal of time and energy has been spent creating the storyboards and posts for the Lost Trotting Parks Blog. However, I must thank all who have contributed their time and shared their resources to bring the content of this blog to its readers. Historical societies, town offices, and private individuals throughout Maine and the United States

have contributed text and images. I have also worked with people from New Brunswick, Alberta, and Australia. One of my major resources is my cousin, Clark Thompson. Clark researched the beginnings of the trotting industry in Maine from 1819 to 1893 ending with the horse Nelson. As a result of his work, Clark published the book, Maine's Trotting Horse Heritage Trail. His research represents hundreds of hours of reading and connecting with others. Often it is his research that has been the basis for many of the LTP storyboards. Over the years, I have acquired the skills to transform information. This blog has allowed me to transform information not readily available to most people. Through this work, I have gained an overwhelming appreciation for the age of "When the Horse was King." This is an era that is quickly becoming forgotten. I hope that this work brings Maine people to an awareness and an appreciation of this age. Perhaps this awareness and appreciation will help Maine people recognize that they need to do what is needed to preserve the traditions associated with the standardbred horse and Maine's horse industries for today and future generation of Mainers.

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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

Monday, March 14, 2011

Comments by Bob Lieberman, Member of the New England Harness Writers Association

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