The Lost Trotting Parks Heritage Center -- Storyboard Archives: February 2012

Sunday, February 19, 2012

MSBOA 2012 Winter Banquet

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Catalogue of Officers and Students of Gardiner Lyceum 1824

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

1843 -- The Gardiner Lyceum Catalogue

Two hundred and one students (102 Masters and 99 Misses) were enrolled in programs at the Gardiner Lyceum in 1843. Students attending were from the following communities: Gardiner, Madison, Hallowell, Norridgewock, Whitefield, Waterville, Pittston, Jefferson, Newport, RI, North Yarmouth, Bowdoin, Key West, FA, Duxbury, MA, Tauton, MA, Woolich, Dresden, Waldoborough, New Sharon, New Bedford, MSA, Windsor, Lancaster, MA, and Fairfield.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Engineering Drawing and File Documents Locates McFaul Park

Robert P. Scott, Town Assessor for Eastport, found in the archives the circa 1940 file that contains documents, maps, and sketches that identify the location of McFaul Park. Now that we have verified the location, we need to see if any photos exist of McFaul Park that provides views of the grandstands and action on the track!

Monday, February 13, 2012

Lost Trotting Parks at the Maine Fair Convention -- Holiday Inn, Portland, Maine

Stephen Thompson, founder and Creative Director
of the Lost Trotting Parks Heritage Center
Sets up Display at Maine Fair Convention.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Merrill Park -- West Gardiner -- Three Images

The following image is one of the best photos of one of Maine's lost trotting parks. Initially, Mert Hickey provided me with two photocopied images of Merrill Parks taken from the entry way of the park. This photo was taken on the East side of the track within 25 feet of Cobbossee Stream. Last summer we were able to walk to the location of the Grand Stand. We measured the cement posts that served as the base of the grandstand. The structure measured 50 by 30 feet. If you are in possession of vintage images of the old trotting parks or the agricultural fairs, please contact us and discuss the possibility of using your images to help tell the stories of Maine fairs and harness racing. The photos in this post can be found at the Archives Room, Gardiner Public Library, Gardiner, Maine.

To contact the Center by telephone call 207-956-9542 or 207-623-3076.

Builder of McFaul Park Also the Author of Two Books

Ike Glidden -- Link to Alexander McFaul's Book
Published in 1903.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Memorabilia Slide Show -- Champion Racing Horses on Cigar Boxes

Race Horses from the National Cigar Museum
Click on the first image. This will activate a slideshow with annotation.

The History of Bridle Rosettes

The Importance of the Rosette!

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Lost Trotting Parks Introduces Its New Blog -- "The Maine Spirit"

Check out "The Maine Spirit"
Supporting Maine's Agricultural Fairs
and the
Standardbred Horse

Circa 1830 Sketches of the Gardiner Lyceum

McFaul Park -- 1896 Sub-Division Planned -- Location of Baseball Field

Monday, February 6, 2012

McFaul Park -- Grandstand for 600 -- Ten Stables

Saturday, February 4, 2012

The Gardiner Lyceum -- 1823 -- Address by Robert Hallowell, Gardiner, Maine

-- From the History of Kennebec County, Kingsbury and Deyo
Chapter XXIV, p. 638 --

Courtesy of the Archives Room, The Gardiner Public Library
Gardiner, Maine

"The Gardiner Lyceum, established by R.H. Gardiner in 1822, was designed in all respects to be a college without dead languages. The building ws of stone and had an excellent cabinet and philosophical apparatus. The first principal was Reverend Hale, rector of Christ's Church. The patronage of the school was small, and in 1848 the school was established as an academy with Dr. G.S. Palmer as principal.

In 1851 the building was transferred to the City of Gardiner and a free high school was then established, and occupied it until the fall of 1870 when it was burned.

Famous First Facts by Joseph Nathan Kane, p. 509.

"The First technical institute in the United States was the Gardiner Lyceum which was established in 1822 due to the efforts of Benjamin Hale. Short courses were given in civil architecture, navigation, chemistry and agriculture. The school's existence depended upon fees, gifts, and grants from the Maine State Legislature. The school was created "for the purpose of giving to farmers and mechanics such a scientific education as would enable them to become skillful in their professions."

"The Lyceum Movement" in the United States

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