The Lost Trotting Parks Storyboard Archives

The Lost Trotting Parks Storyboard Archives

Saturday, March 31, 2012

TOPO 9's Aerial View of the Sidney Training Center

Check out the March Issue of The Maine Spirit of the Times
Stable "Tweets" Features The Sidney Training Center



Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Orono's Trotting Park Association -- 1894


From Special Collections -- Fogler Library -- University of Maine -- Orono, Maine




The following storyboard presents a Google Earth View
of Orono, Maine. The approximate location of the

trotting park is marked by a white oval. The red line
measures the length of the oval -- 1150 feet.



Keller -- Sturgis -- Gibbons -- At the Kite Track 1939


Greyhound Sets His Record at the Kite Track in Old Orchard Beach -- November 1939


Irving Pottle and Charles Proctor Track side 1939


Calumet Euclid -- Reed Brothers -- 1937


Union Park -- Acton, Maine 1935





Major Ward Defeats His Emminence on Tripp Pond 1939


Swingtime Defeats Single Trumpet -- 1939


Lady Dillon Defeats Cashier on Tripp Pond -- From the Guy Kendall Collection


I first heard of harness racing on Tripp Pond when I interviewed Clayton Smith at his home in Yarmouth. Later that summer I interviewed Lionel Furland and Jim MacKay, lifelong residents of Poland. I spent several hours with Lionel and Jim. Both men in their 90's spoke of their younger years. Lionel's father was the farrier for Governor Hill. At the end of my visit they started talking about one of their favorite horses, Lady Dillon. It appeared that Lady Dillon was a local favorite and performed quite well on ice. In March I traveled to the University of Maine in Orono to visit the Special Collections Room at the Fogler Library. My purpose was to view and scan photos taken by Guy Kendall. I selected the book of photos from 1939 and as I turned the pages of the album, I came upon three pages of photographs on ice racing. And there in front of me was the program for ice racing on Tripp Pond. Named in the program was Lady Dillon. On the next page I found the photo of Lady Dillon defeating Cashier.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

The Artist's View of the Elmwood Stock Farm -- East Poland, Maine



Today as you drive down the Dunn Road from the Lewiston Junction Road, you see homes and farmland. An old topo map of the area identified the Elmwood Farm as being on the left hand side of the road. However, the engraving of the farm shows what appears to be the Poland Spring Hotel in the background to the right and the Bald Hill Road to the left. This image places the farm on the right hand side of the road. When visiting with Lionel Ferland and Jim MacKay, both men spoke of a mansion that was located on the right hand side of the road. This image includes a mansion. After the death of James Sanborn, the description of the property in the sales ad included a mansion. Today there is no visible evidence that the Elmwood Stock Farm existed. What happened to the buildings and the 1/4 mile track? Did the property burn? If so, what year? 

This may be an odd statement to make. However, if you don't ask the right question to the correct person, your journey to find your answer may be a bit longer and perhaps more interesting! Perhaps the answer can be found at the Lewiston Sun Journal!









Navigating Lost Trotting Parks

To the right of the Lost Trotting Parks screen you will find a pop-out menu that contains a link to the LTP Categories. Each post is organized by being placed within one or more categories. For example, if you would like to learn more about Nelson 4209, select the Nelson 4209 Category. Nelson posts can also be found with the Kennebec County Category. To learn more about the Elmwood Stock Farm, select the category for Androscoggin County.

Postcard Image of Grandstands at the Maine State Fairgrounds -- Lewiston, Maine




Images of the Elmwood Stock Farm 1898


Saturday, March 17, 2012