The Lost Trotting Parks Storyboard Archives

The Lost Trotting Parks Storyboard Archives

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

The Online Version of The American Turf: An Historical Account of Thoroughbred Racing in the United States

This online document provides readers with the history of Thoroughbred Racing in the United States. It provides biographical sketches of turf celebrities, but also photos of many race tracks that no longer exist. It may provide an opportunity for readers of the Lost Trotting Parks Blog to explore the world of 19th Century Thoroughbred Racing.


An Historical Account of Thoroughbred Racing in the United States
Digitized by internet Archive -- Original from the Library of Congress

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Pierce Brothers from Biddeford and East Baldwin, Maine -- Owners of the Santa Rosa Stock Farm -- Most Prized Foal -- Lou Dillon -- First Trotter to Trot the Mile under 2 minutes

A premium book for the Maine State Fair at Lewiston led me to explore the ad for Saddleback Farm in East Baldwin, Maine. This exploration led me to the Pierce family. Henry Pierce left Maine searching for his destiny during the California gold rush. Upon his arrival in San Francisco, Henry obtained an unused biscuit making machine and through his industry and hard work accumulated a fortune that allowed him to invest in land and other profitable ventures. His brothers joined him and a nephew, Orestes. Henry purchased an old trotting park and founded the Santa Rosa Stock Farm, the farm whose prized foal was Lou Dillon. 

It seems that all of the Pierce men journeyed to California leaving their sister on the farm. When she died the instructions in her will required that the buildings of Saddleback Farm be torn down and that her car be buried in the well. Her chauffeur drove off with the car, but all the buildings were taken down. Today only the remnants of foundations give the hint of a farm that once raised prized Jersey cows for butter production. 

To read this article open each page with text

 in a separate window or tab.









Saturday, January 5, 2013

Images of Central Maine Park -- Waterville, Maine -- 1905 through 1912


Horsemen at Central Maine Park

Waterville, Maine -- 1905


W.F. Cool, Pittsfield

R.W. Burrill, Bangor

L.A. Bartlett, Belgrade

F.N. Vining, St. Albans
L.H. Ryder, Bangor
Walter F. Webb, Augusta
J.W. Pottle, Portland
P.B. Gilman, Waterville
E.R. Hayden, Lewiston
F.M. Bowman, Augusta
H.B. Rallston, Brighton, Mass.
C.H. Simpson, Waterville
Charles Dustin, Pittsfield
W.W. Hisler, Weeks Mills
E. Kennedy, Lewiston
Pearl Brook Farm, North Belfast
Calais Stock Farm, Calais
Henry L. Titer, Readville, Mass.
Allie Merryfield, Saugus, Mass.
Morrison Stock Farm, East Livermore
Ira Mitchell, Waterville
H.B. Small, Topsham
E.L. Fisher, Pittsfield
H.B. Small, Waterville
C.H. Davison, Waterville
S.A. Fowler, St. Johns, N.B.
J.R. Sederquest, St. Stephens, N.B.
Frank Mahue, Waterville
C.H. Nelson, Waterville
William Cummings, Bangor
A. Merrifield, Baltimore, MD
G.W. Gerow, Yarmouthville
L.L. Gentner, Belfast
E.J. Kirby, Rockland
E.W. Gahan, Boston, Mass.
G.E. Whitney, Enfield, N.H.
W.F. Bisbee, Camden
R.L. Bean, Camden
E.J. Kirby, Rockland
J.H. Goddard, Lewiston
Frank Chase, Waterville
H.A. Dodge, Dark Harbor
W.J. Furbush, West Newton, Mass.
A.L. Sawyer & Son, Sabattus

Percy B. Gilman, Waterville

George B. Allen, Camden

Bert  McCoomb, Skowhegan
R.D. Waite, Lewiston
F.B. Fogg, South Paris

Famous Bloodlines

Mambrino Wilkes
Bingen
Wilkes
Son of Onward
Star Pointer
Nelson
Young Gideon
Hambletonian Wilkes
Kremlin


















Friday, January 4, 2013

Excerpt from the April 1902 Issue of the Horseman


Tommy Britton -- featured insert in the April 1902 Issue of The Horseman


Open in new window or tab to control size for readability.

The Horseman -- April 1902 -- Santa Rosa Stock Farm -- Owned by the Pierce Brothers -- Originally from East Baldwin, Maine

The post on the April 1902 issue of The Horseman presents a page sampler from the issue. The second storyboard includes a short article on the Santa Rosa Stock Farm. This farm was owned by the Pierce brothers of Biddeford and East Baldwin, Maine. Henry Pierce traveled to California during the gold rush. In San Francisco, he purchased an unused biscuit making machine and started accumulating his fortune. Henry was a lover of trotting horses and founded the Santa Rosa Stock Farm. Lou Dillon was foaled on this farm. His nephew, Orestes Pierce, who operated Saddleback Farm in East Baldwin joined his uncle in California. Henry Pierce died in 1902.



The following storyboard contains a short article on
the Santa Rosa Stock Farm.




The following storyboard contains short statements under the headline of Current Items. Currently, many of Maine's harness racing industry organizations and supports use social media as a communications tool. It would be wonderful if more horseman used social media as a means to tell their stories, promote their stables and horses, and the industry.