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

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Scarborough Downs Congratulates Jean Emerson on her induction into the Communicator's Hall of Fame

Read Jean's story in the June Issue of

The Maine Spirit of the Turf

Lost Trotting Parks Starts New Initiative

Nineteenth Century Kennebec County

Circa 1890 View of the U.S. Arsenal
on the East side of the Kennebec River
Augusta, Maine

In collaboration with Kennebec County historical societies, Maine State agencies, local libraries, local governments, and individuals interested in the history of Kennebec County, the Lost Trotting Parks Heritage Center has launched a new blog titled, 19th Century Kennebec County.

The purpose of this project will be to re-create 19th century Kennebec County through engraved images, photographs, maps, and excerpts from Maine Registers and 19th century atlases. Currently, the blog consists of maps of each Kennebec County town/city and as a start images of Augusta.

Hopefully, the blog will capture the signature imagery of each town. As the project progress, storyboards will be created that will show the Yesterday and Today of each town.

If you are interested in working on this project, contact Stephen D. Thompson.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Corrected Issue of The June Issue of The Maine Spirit of the Times will be uploaded to the Website of the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame, Goshen, New York

Today I attached a corrected version of The June Issue of the Maine Spirit of the Turf to an e-mail sent to the Harness Racing Museum. The new version should be uploaded by Tuesday of next week. Enjoy!

Download Your Copy of the Maine Spirit of the Turf!

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Circa 1890 -- An Artist's View of the Augusta Driving Park and State Grounds

Monday, June 18, 2012

The June Issue of the Maine Spirit of the Turf -- Available for Downloading at the website of the Harness Racing Museum, Goshen, NY

The June issue of the Maine Spirit of the Turf has been uploaded to the Harness Racing Museum's website. This issue features the lifework of Jean Emerson and the Northeast Harness News -- and more -- 52 pages of images and stories -- a blending of the past and present!

Go to the Harness Racing Museum, Goshen, New York

Download the June Issue of the Maine Spirit of the Turf!

There are a few errors in the June Issue of the Maine Spirit of the Turf.
The errors will be corrected and the issue will be re-posted.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Riggins -- A Descendant of the 1890 World's Champion Stallion Trotter, Nelson 4209

This video features a Standardbred by the name of Riggins. Riggins is a descendant of Nelson 4209 owned by C.H. Nelson of Waterville, Maine. Nelson was foaled in Winslow, Maine in 1882. C.H. Nelson operated Sunnyside Farm on the Oakland Road in Waterville, Maine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv1_zwojAqA

Monday, June 11, 2012

Plans unveiled for the New 700 acre KVCC Campus

On Wednesday May 9, 2012, Kennebec Valley Community Campus unveiled its plans for the use of its new 700 acre campus once owned by the Goodwill-Hinckley School. I met with President Woodlee and staff members several weeks ago to present the idea of creating a horse park on the campus that would support Maine's horse industry. KVCC staff members have been working for months on a plan for the best use of the facility. Staff members have met with members of the agricultural community to discuss the development of an agricultural curriculum appropriate for a two-year community college. My thoughts were to bring representatives of Maine's horse industry to the table to discuss possibilities that would support all aspects of Maine's horse industry. KVCC with its roots as a vocational-technical school, it would seem quite appropriate to create curriculum at both the certificate and associate degree levels that would help graduating students enter Maine's horse industry or support existing members of the industry through classes improving the knowledge and skills of those already in the business.

This article provides the overall development plan. However, please note that one of the suggestions offered at the public hearing was the inclusion of a trotting park for horses on the property. The KVCC planners are open to suggestions and ideas for appropriate and best use of the new campus. Perhaps there is a use that supports Maine's horse industry!

From the May 11, 2012 issue of the Kennebec Journal

Sunday, June 10, 2012

2012 Dates for Maine's Agricultural Fairs and Maine Harness Racing

OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS OF
THE MAINE ASSOCIATION OF AGRICULTURAL FAIRS -- 2012

You can download and print individual storyboards in this set.

2012 CONTACTS FOR MAINE'S AGRICULTURAL FAIRS

2012 DATES FOR MAINE'S AGRICULTURAL FAIRS

2012 DATES FOR MAINE HARNESS RACING

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Bring Lost Trotting Parks to Your Community

With community sponsors, Lost Trotting Parks presentations can be given to civic groups, social clubs, historical societies, schools, and other interested orgarnization. Displays can be set up that will present the 19th century images of the lost trotting parks and the age when the horse was king.

Throughout time more than 100 Maine towns sponsored trotting parks. Classroom activities have been created that will help students explore this period of Maine and American history.

To learn more, contact Stephen Thompson at 207-623-3076.

E-Mail Lost Trotting Parks

A Recent Comment

Recently, I received an e-mail from a harness racing enthusiast who commented on the presentation of storyboards and the difficulty reading the sidebar. I appreciated the readers comments. Feedback is important. First I will address the size of storyboards. The typical size of most storyboards is 12 by 18 inches. The blog presents the storyboard as an icon. You click the storyboard image and it enlarges. If the post has more than one storyboard that blogger creates a slideshow that the reader controls by clickling the thumbnails images at the bottom of the page. Often the 12 by 18 inch images may be difficult to read or you may want to see greater detail within the images. To enlarge storyboards, right click the original image and select either open in new window or open in a new tab. Doing this will allow you to control the size of the image by applying Ctrl + to increase image size and Ctrl - to decrease the image size. Close out the new window or tab and you will return to the Lost Trotting Parks Blog. Within the Blogger format, I believe this is the best way to present storyboards that contains multiple images, newspaper articles and text.

In terms of the sidebar with categories, archives, and other information items that are created by using what is called gadgets, I did have difficulty with the inability to really see the text. Upon reading the reader's comments, I changed the background text to gray and increased the font size and selected a bright white as the text color. These changes made the sidebar text easier to read.

Blog by Blogger are in a linear arrangement by time/date of posting. For the most recent posts read posts that are presented you enter the blog. However, the best way to view posts may be through Categories/Labels. The Categories sort the storyboards by topics. For example there is a category for each Maine County. Therefore if you are interested in Washington County, click the Washing County Categories and all posts related to Washington County will be presented.

I will also be increasing the text size for each post.

You can also use the keyword search and archives to explore the Lost Trotting Parks Blog. I welcome all suggestions -- from content to format of the blog. I opened the blog so that comments can be made. If you would like to make comments through e-mail, please do so.

-- E-Mail Stephen Thompson --

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

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