The Lost Trotting Parks Storyboard Archives

The Lost Trotting Parks Storyboard Archives

Saturday, June 23, 2012

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



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

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.

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.