Discuss Detroit » Hall of Fame Threads » Where was Grosse Pointe Racetrack? « Previous Next »
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Jerome81
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Posted From: 205.153.103.15
Posted on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 4:42 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I'm talking the Henry Ford vs Winton in 1903. I know it was "Grosse Pointe Racetrack" but I suspect it wasn't actually in present day GP. On those maps someone posted of Connor creek, it showed a raceway on there (in present day Detroit) and I'm wondering if this is indeed the location where the famous race took place of if it was someplace else.

Anything remaining?
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Swgz31
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Posted From: 35.11.203.8
Posted on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 5:11 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I can't answer this myself but maybe this will help. There's 2 differing opinions about where it was located, one says it was in GP around Kirby and Moross roads, the other one says it was in Detroit around Algonquin.
http://www.waterwinterwonderla nd.com/speed.asp?id=1711&type= 9

I've wondered about this racetrack a lot myself.
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Hornwrecker
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Posted From: 66.19.24.42
Posted on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 8:11 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ford  Winton race

The Ford/Winton race in Grosse Pointe. Forgot where I got this photo from.
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Detroitej72
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Posted From: 66.184.3.44
Posted on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 8:17 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

There used to be a racetrack where Indian Village is now. Not sure if it was GP Racetrack or not. It was part of GP Township at one time.

Also Some of Henry Ford's races with Barney Oldfield were actually held on Lake St. Clair when it was frozen.

(Message edited by detroitej72 on September 08, 2006)
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Mikem
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Posted on Saturday, September 09, 2006 - 9:43 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The "Grosse Pointe Race Track" was near Connor's Creek, then part of Grosse Pointe Township - the area wasn't annexed to Detroit until 1907.

A horse/harness track was operated by the Detroit Driving Club in the vicinity of the Water Works. The horse racing scene had a bad reputation and when the old money Daniel Campau, Jr took over as president of the Club in 1894, he moved the course to a piece of land he owned near Jefferson and Connor's Creek. Banked turns were added in 1901 to support auto racing, but the track closed around 1905 and soon after the city annexed the land and the area was subdivided (or maybe vice-versa).

http://www.mi-harness.com/Mich/grsptetrk.html


GP Race Track


Detroit Driving Club







The confusion of location is understandable since the course was moved once, and also because there was a track in Grosse Pointe Farms, however I think it was always a horse track until the end:


GP Farms Race Track
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Jjaba
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Posted From: 71.236.229.212
Posted on Saturday, September 09, 2006 - 11:56 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks Hornwrecker and MikeM. Quick work on a great thread.
jjaba.
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Harsensis
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Posted From: 71.227.102.82
Posted on Sunday, September 10, 2006 - 12:35 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The Horse track in the Farms can stil be seen with the road that curves off of Vendome. I live a block away, but my house isn't that big.
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Jerome81
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Posted From: 64.142.86.133
Posted on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 12:26 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

So it is the one by Connor creek and the on on Vendome (part of it looks like the curve of a track) is a different one?
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Wilderness
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Posted From: 68.74.14.177
Posted on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 1:00 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hello Everybody,
Rather than reply to portions of individual submissions?
I'm going to attempt to give you a summary of my own activities regarding these former Detroit horse racetracks and other portions of the US as well.

For some time I've been digitizing and archiving preseviously published harness racing (Standardbred) materials, mostly from previously published periodicals, however frequently other sources as well.

My presence here is a result of a link being provided to one of my websites and the beginning of the Grosse Pointe track web page that I have online.
The link was provided here and folks been viewing the page.

My first introduction into the names of three of Detroit's early tracks (Hamtramck, Grosse Pointe and Highland Park) were the result of a book by Phil Pines published in the late 1960's titled "The Complete Book of Harness Racing".
Mr. Pines attempted to provide brief and dated insights into early, racetracks, horses, horsemen and others involved in the industry.

I placed a telephone call to the Detroit Public Library (regarding the Grosse Pointe Track), asked a few questions and was directed to the Burton Historical Society. A few years later (2002) I actually visited the main branch for the first time (the old main branch when I was young was located behind J. L. Hudson's.)
Getting some references from Burton Historical I went in to both their microfilm and the libraries microfilm and after around eight hours (a very small amount of time for these types of ventures) and left with about a dozen printed articles (wishing I had the luxury to spend weeks or months going through microfilm).

In early 2000 I was sent an article about the Hamtramck track that was a special supplement in the a spring 1964 Detroit News promoting the opening of the harness racing season at DRC-Wolverine. This supplement was paid for by Mr. and Mrs. Fred Van Lennep. Mrs. Van Lennep the former Frances Dodge.
That article is online:
http://www.mi-harness.com/Mich /1853.html

It should be noted that the Hamtramck of 1850 to 1892 is not the Hamtramck of 2006.
Rather the track was located on the North side of East Jefferson and just east of Van Dyke (Parker St., north of East Jefferson would have been part of that racetrack).
Somebody else referred to this as Indian Village.

I do have a long and extensive article from Burton Historical on the Grosse Pointe track (the web page is only the beginning of that article), however it's damn tedious and eye squinting work because the microfilm had deterioted so badly and the printed version is not good quality. Then add the priority that very few people are actually interested in harness racing today, much less 25 or 50 or 100 years ago of harness racing and the Grosse Pointe web page for me is very low priority.

In 2002, Nick Sinacori contacted the Michigan Office of the Racing Commisioner and somebody that I correspond with at the ORC referred Nick to me.
I provided some brief materials and a couple of articles, however I was not capable of answering complex questions on many items related to horse racing from the late 1800's and early 1900's that Nick desired.

I've passed this forum link on to Nick.
In four years Nick (who's original interest was not horses and horse tracks at all) has been quite busy.
1) He has a manuscript for a limited edition book nearly comeplete on the Grosse Pointe track and area.
2) Some others are near completion of a 3-D animated version of the track and buildings.
3) There is also scaled down model in the works at a local college as well.

Nick is today much more knowledgeable on the Grosse Point and Hamtramck track locations than my self.

BTW back in those days the east boundary for the City of Detroit was Van Dyke. Fairview was a redlight district.

I haven't had any success finding the location of the Highland Park track. The city is bankrupt and the library is closed. I've never been able to reach the historical society, although at one time I traded emails with somebody who had some web pages of Highland Park history.

There were other Detroit tracks in the late 1800's as well.
The former west boundary for the city was once Livernois and west of there and to the river was known as "Springwells". There was a track named Springwell's that is only described as being on the Chicago Road, of which I've assumed to mean Michigan Ave (US-12).

There was also a Greenfield Driving Park and a "city" Fairgrounds. Both of these were located at today's Six Mile and Woodward. (the Michigan State Fair didn't open till the 1930's).

There could have even been other Detroit tracks, however these few are the only that I'm aware of.

There is a horse publication (the Horse Review) that was a weekly publication of very extensive materials from 1889 through 1932.
I have a mere handful of these issues. There are only two sources in the entire US that I'm aware have a full press-run of these issues. One is private and the others is the Harness Musem at Goshen, NY. To travel their and photo copy each issue (52 x 43 x number of pages)individually would be an enormous undertaking.
The conversion of the copies to didgital would take years.
The bottom line is their is just not enough interest.

In racing there's sparse interest in yesterday and the farther back we go in years or decades, the lesser the interested people.

Many thanks to whomever provided the images of the entrance-way to Grosse Pointe. Very nice.
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Gistok
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Posted From: 4.229.81.11
Posted on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 1:32 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

LOL at Harsensis... you must live on Kirby then! :-)

Thanks for answering the mystery to one of the most perplexing street abberations that exists in all the Grosse Pointes! That road right next to Kirby Rd. made absolutely no sense whatsoever!

Pitty that neither the former Erv Steiner/Susie Quattro house one the south side of the curve, nor the house to the north nor that to the west are yours!

P.S. I'll take the French Chateau on the southwest corner of that curving street!
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Mikem
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Username: Mikem

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Posted From: 68.43.15.105
Posted on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 1:59 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Wilderness, thanks for the information and welcome to the forum!

I believe the Highland Park track you refer to was located at the present site of the former Ford factory on the east side of Woodward, north of Manchester. From the same map as the clips above:

Highland Park course

Also note the track at the northeast corner of Six Mile and John R. This must be the Greenfield Driving Park. I assume it was named Greenfield after the township, and not the village of Greenfield, located up Grand River Avenue.

The Springwells course could be this one, located northwest of the intersection of Ford and Miller Roads:

Springwells course


I'm not certain of the date of the map these came from. It's labeled as the 1905 edition, reprinted in 1915, surveyed 1904, and somewhere else I think I read it was updated in 1911, so I think the map could represent the area as of 1911, but more than likely 1904.

On a 1921 map, I found a "Dexter Driving Association" on the northeast side of Detroit, northwest of Gratiot and Seven Mile:

Dexter Driving Association

Dexter Driving Association thread

I thought this was some sort of automobile club and until you came along, I never would have associated "driving" with harness racing. Thanks!
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Wilderness
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Posted on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 3:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Mikem,
Many thanks for the maps and locations ID's.

There was a time (before automobiles) when most every home had a horse.
Unlike autombiles, horses both gave and returned affection. People loved their horses. People were very proud of their horses (as they are today of their automobiles).

When people with carriages met on the roads, there were often races.
In order to keep the roads safe for traffic many communities began either "driving parks" or "trotting parks".
I have another page with some names across the US:
http://www.mi-harness.net/trks /drvngprk.html

You will need to scroll down to see the names.

There are some nice photo's of driving parks from the Chicago area (West Garfied, Libertyville and Westside) in the American Memory section of the Library of Congrss photo archives.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/in dex.html
(lots of pictures there for most every interest).

Later on "some" of these local facilities became sanctioned races by National Associations. (Hamtramck, Grosse Pointe, city Fairgrounds/Greenfield).
I don't have any sanctioned references to Springwells.

Most of these sanctioned races are documented in archived national publications. Scarce as they may be. (at least until 1939).

I do have an image (although poor qaulity) of the Grosse Pointe track from July 16, 1900 and the M & M (Merchants and Maunfactures) Day race. (not sure how to upload?

Also have a poor quality photo/postCard of the Highland Park track.

The off-season for horse racing in the late 1800's and early 1900's was quite longer than in 2006.
The racing generally didn't start till late-May or early-June and continued into October.
During the off-seasons there was both (sleigh) snow and ice-racing.
I have a brief article (from Burton Society) that states there was ice-racing on the Detroit River from Alter Rd, up to River Rouge and the Rouge River and into Dearborn (quite a long distance by Horse in those days).
http://www.mi-harness.com/Mich /1827.html

BTW something that hasn't been mentioned here?
The main "early" owner of the Grosse Pointe track was D. J. "Danny" Campau. Grandsom of Joseph Campau of who the street is named after.
I have two very extensive articles (not online) on "Danny" Campau that were written and published by famous turf-scribe John Hervey in 1937 or 1938.
"Danny Campau was apparently a real character and quite brash.

If anybody is interested in the images or the articles, upon visiting one of my web pages?
On the bottom their is either a CONTACT or WEBMASTER for a submission form and I'll send.
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Mike_m
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Posted on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 5:52 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks again Wilderness. If you have photos youd like to post they have to be no more than 550x550 pixels and less than 50 kb. Use the upload attachment button below the text window, or you could email them to me and I can edit and post them.

I got my information from an article by Mark Patrick, published in the book Tonnancour: Life in Grosse Pointe and Along the Shores of Lake St Clair, Volume 2. The article, "Gentlemen, Start Your Engines! Motor Racing at the Grosse Pointe Track" states that

quote:

The track was operated by the Detroit Driving Club, whose secretary was Daniel J. Campau, Jr. Daniel Campau was the scion of the Campau family who had arrived in Detroit with Cadillac in 1701. Daniel Campau, Jr., was quite successful in business, especially in real estate [his father was the largest landowner in Detroit at the time of his death in 1863], and he had a passion for fast horses. Campau had a forceful personality and was a natural leader of men, as evidenced by his active role in the politics of the city of Detroit, the state of Michigan and the Democratic party. It was natural, then, when he was made president of the Detroit Driving Club, that Campau eclipsed the other officers and in effect became the club's prime mover.

One of Campau's first acts as president was to clean up the image of horse racing in Detroit. It had come to be associated with race fixing, organized crime, spectator drunkedness and other kinds of base behavior. One goal of the club's campaign was to move the races from an older track in Hamtramck Township (off Jefferson Avenue near Water Works Park), to a new track in a more bucolic, serene setting. It so happened that Campau owned a large tract of land, just outside the then Detroit city limits between Jefferson Avenue and the Detroit River and sandwiched between Chalmers and Alter roads in an area known as Grosse Pointe Township. This is where the new oval horse track was built.

Of the track, the Detroit Journal reported in the May 5, 1901 issue, that "...all things considered it is the handsomest in the country in location, construction, and nature of the ground, its accessibility and the grand river and land view from the stands." Others commented on the park-like setting and beauty. The Detroit Journal went further -- calling the track a "...monument to Campau's tireless persistence and successful contention for honest racing by honest men for honest purses, honestly paid." The Grosse Pointe Race Track was an oval eden, but then Campau let in the speed demons and for a few years Grosse Pointe was known for its wild motor car races.




He goes on to explain that the first organized automobile race in the city, the idea of William Metzger, an automobile dealer, was held on October 10, 1901. One of Metzger's aquaintances was Campau, and he talked him into leasing the track for the event. The race, or series of races, was heavily promoted in the local papers, and on race day a crowd of 8,000 showed up at the track. Businesses, offices, and even the courts shut down for the day.

A one-mile race was held for electric cars with a Baker from Cleveland winning. Another one-mile race was held for autos under 1,500 pounds in which a Lytle (Toldeo) beat a Duryea (Springfield). The final race was suppose to be 25 miles but was reduced to 10 miles since the earlier races consumed so much time. This is the race in which Ford beat Winton with a time of 13:23.

Several races were held in the following years and probably the most famous racer to appear was Barney Oldfield who set a speed record for one-mile of one minute, six seconds in 1902. A Packard L set an endurance record there in 1904, racing 1,000 non-stop miles in 29 hours, 53 minutes.

quote:

Motor racing ended at the track around 1905. The track was razed soon after and a tract subdivision sprang up and the area was later annexed by Detroit. One must surmise that Mr. Campau, with his real estate instincts, felt the time was right to develop the land. Perhaps, too, he grew bored with the sport. Whatever the reason, just like that, speed, guts, and the glory of motor car racing came to an end in the Grosse Pointes.





A map from 1876 showing Campau's eastside holdings:


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Harsensis
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Posted on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 6:21 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Well Gistok, really I'm on Ridgemont. I count it as one away since that street runs side by side with Kerby. Also I have a postcard of the Detroit Driving Club building. It was originally Klenks Lighthouse Inn on Klenks island near Harbor Island. On the map above, it would be located right downriver from the US Lighthouse, it might even be that square that is next to Fox Creek at the river.
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Wilderness
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Posted on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 7:09 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The first four images were provided to me by George Petredean.

July 1900 Grosse Pointe on Merchants and Maunfatuer's Day.

Brief article rgarding Grosse Pointe Track

Brief article rgarding Grosse Pointe Track

4_18_1906 M&M

Highland Park Track 1896
Highland Park Track 1896

1929 Michigan State Fair Grounds:

1929 M&M Trot

AT DETROIT'S GRAND CIRCUIT MEETING
FINISH, SECOND HEAT, $5,000 M. & M. TROT: ROSE MORGAN (RAY) WINS FROM
FULL WORTHY (LEESE) AND GAYLWORTHY (STOKES.). in 2:03 1/4

July 31, 1929. The revival of the Merchants and Manufacturers trot, valued at $5,000, was decided this afternoon at the Blue Ribbon Grand Circuit meeting at the State Fair, Detroit, in a contest that was in keeping with the traditions which at one time made this event the recognized aged classic of the harness turf. In the field of seven which took the word at least five were accorded a chance to win by the experts, but it was Rose Morgan who provided the sensational climax in the third heat, thus bringing victory to her owner, Mr. Edward M. Stout, of Pontiac, Michigan, and to her driver, Nat Ray, of North Randall, Ohio.
In describing this race I will put aside custom and relate what transpired in the deciding heat, instead of treating the event in sequence from the beginning. Billy Leese had taken Full Worthy to the front and for a time on the back stretch Ben White, was at the stallion's wheel with Ruth M. Chenault, but near the half decided to go into the lead. Full Wrothy had moved up to her side at the three﷓quarters; and as Rose Morgan was trailing with Gaylworthy and San Guy coming up on the outside that mare seemed to be hopelessly pocketed. But the entire aspect of the heat suddenly changed when Ruth swerved upon entering the stretch, leaving a narrow gap open to Ray and his mare. A quick﷓thinking and acting man is this expatriated Canadian, and before it became clear to the spectators he had edged through and was in position to battle with Full Worthy and Gaylworthy, Ruth having wearied. On came the trio with their drivers working like trojans, the mare's neck prejecting in fro nt of the two stallions by the time the wire was reached. The utter surprise attached to the heat, together with the tight fit at the end, gave a thrill that every spectator fully enjoyed, for it required no initiation to appreciate that imminent defeat had suddenly given way to a sparkling victory.
The first heat was raced in two divisions, Gaylworthy and Ruth being lapped at the sixfurlong station, San Guy and Rose following closely. Ruth lasted long enough to finish lapped on Gaylworthy's collar in 2:06½. the last quarter in :29. Close to them came Rose and San Guy, who might have won but for being pinned in at the pole; Fine Girl, too, trotting a good heat. Full Worthy, Gaylworthy and Fine Girl raced forwardly to the half in the second trial, but on the third turn Ray took command with Rose. We saw three of our best reinsmen, Stokes with Gaylworthy, Leese with Full Worthy, and Ray with his mare engage in action through the stretch and an inspiring spectacle it made, for under the wire the trio were only heads apart, Rose getting the decision in 2:03¼, Full Worthy second and Gaylworthy third. They were trotting a great clip, the last quarter being done in : 29¼. Mr. Stout, who is at present one of the most important Michigan patrons of our sport, was besieged with congratulations, as were Ray and the local trainer, Will Milloy.
The dean of present day track officials is Mr. L. C. Webb, of Mason, Michigan, who acted with Mr. McGraw here and was one of the first breeders to recognize the possibilities that Pilot Medium, the father of Peter the Great, offered as a sire. The renewal of the $5,000 Merchant's and Manufacturers' trot reminded Mr. Webb of the inaugural event won in 1889 over the old Hamtramck track here by Hendryx with "Tink" Hills as his driver. "We little dreamed at that time," said Mr. Webb, "that the Standard breed would advance to the great extent that it has during these forty years, and when I visit this great city and note the changes that have taken place, I marvel at it all."
The M & M was won by Rose Morgan 2:03¼ in a race that was a sparkling affair and gives us reason to hail the daughter of Morgan Axworthy 2:17 and Rose Spier, by Directum Spier 2:11¼, as a mare that we may expect notable things from in the future. Mr. Harry Rainey, Birmingham, Michigan, secured Rose in a Kentucky spring sale when she was a two﷓year﷓old, paying for her $85 and later selling her to her present owner Mr. E. M. Stout, of Pontiac, Michigan. She worked in about 2:30 at two, and at three, in the hands of Will Milloy, was prepared for her owner to race in the amateur events, winning for him in 2:10. Last fall in her fouryear﷓old form she raced five times, winning two races at Lexington and trotting in 2:04¼ for Milloy. With the exception of Peter Cowl, who was not entered, and High Noon 2:04½, Rose defeated the top stake trotters of 1929 including her rival for the feminine honors of the year, Ruth M. Chenault 2:03¼.
(Excerpts from The Horse Review, August 7, 1929)

1929 Mi State Fair Track

1933 Mich State Fair Grounds:

the finish of the Governor's Handicap at the Detroit Fairground Track run on Sunday, September 3, 1933, the second day of the 33 day 1933 inaugural race meeting.

1933 Mich State Fair Grounds
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Wilderness
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Posted on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 7:10 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The April 12 1906 didn't go through on the 1st attempt.April 12, 1906 GP
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Mikem
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Posted on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 7:11 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

HarsensIs, there are two postcards posted on this thread showing the club house on Klenk Island, although I thought after Klenk's Inn it became the Detroit Motor Boat Club.


Here's another map from 1897 showing the tack as the "Detroit Driving Club":


Detroit Driving Club 1897
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Mikem
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Posted on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 7:36 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Good stuff Wilderness. Sounds as if Campau sold the track to men who couldn't legally run races in the state. They must be the ones who cut their losses by selling to real estate developers.

When you post pictures, you don't have to give them a name if you don't want to, and after you upload the picture you will see something like this in your message:

\popjpeg{82121, name if provided}

Hit the carriage return a couple of times after the end of a sentence to set the picture off from the end of the line. If you need to edit a message, click on the paper-pencil icon at the top right of your post. Thanks again!
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Hornwrecker
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Posted on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 7:40 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The 1889 Sanborn map shows the Detroit Driving Club on Jefferson, east of Van Dyke. I had to redraw most of the lines, as it was indistinct on the file. Looks like it was end of the line for the street railway.

Detroit Driving Club 1889

There was another track-like appearing object on the 1884 map behind Harper Hospital on the Recreation Grounds, home of the professional baseball team at that time. Not sure if it was just a running track, bicycle track, horse track, or all of the above.
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Wilderness
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Posted on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 7:56 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

For those that are not aware.

The Hamtramck and Grosse Pointe Tracks were one-mile perimeter's.

The Highland Park track from the map that Mike provided appears to have been a one mile as well.

The Greenfield/Fairgrounds at Six Mile and John R appears to have been a half-mile.

I looked closely at the maps of the Springwell's area (both the map provided by Mike and today's).
an easy key for the location is the RR tracks which still exist today. (On my Delorme software it shows a McDonald's in that are. This is the area of the old Ford-Wyoming Drive-in theatre).

Here's a brief article on Springwells:
Detroit Free Press
July 5, 1874

The Turf

Formal Opening of the Springwells Driving Park—An Interesting Day's Sport.

The formal opening of the Springwell's Driving Park, on the Chicago road, occurred Saturday afternoon. Long before the hour announced for the opening races, hundreds of people were on the grounds and many more on the turnpike. Numerous vehicles were also on the roadside.
The opening race was a match race for $200, between horses owned by John Robinson, of Detroit, and Raywalth, of Dexter. It excited much interest, each horse having many partisans, and betting on the result was freely indulged in. The heats were three in five and were taken alternately by each horse, the last heat and race being awarded the Dexter horse. The stake was $200 and the result created intense excitement, as Robinson's friends bet freely three to one.
A two mile and repeat race for a purse of $50 followed, there being entered horses owned by William Ewers, John Buchanan and August Stink. The former took the race in two straight heats. The time between the heats in the races was occupied by the crowd in looking over the grounds and examining the many horses which opening day had brought out.
At half past three a stiff breeze swept over the grounds, followed by a sharp rain. The judge's stand was blown down, but fortunately no one was hurt. When the storm had ceased the sun again shone brightly, and the sport continued.
The day's pleasure was concluded by an improvised running race for a purse of $10 to the first and $5 to the second. One the first start one of the horses threw his shoe and threw himself and rider to the earth. The race was won by a horse owned by Dennis Carroll, of Dearborn, one owned by Henry Disbrow, of Detroit, being second.


Be nice to have so more info on the Seven Mile/Dexter track. First I've ever heard of it ;)
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Harsensis
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Posted From: 71.227.102.82
Posted on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 8:16 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks Mikem for keeping me straight. I went and pulled that Album and it does say Detroit Motor Boat Club. I thought for sure it said Detroit Driving Club, but I might have seen that elsewhere.

Another thing I forgot to add was that I have always heard the Highland Park track was on the same corner that Henry Ford Built his Highland Park Plant on. I have heard that from a few different old timers when they were looking at my postcards.
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Hornwrecker
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Posted From: 66.19.22.135
Posted on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 8:24 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

This aerial photo of the State Fair grounds is labeled as being from the 1930s, cropped for posting.

Michigan State Fair aerial 1930s
wsu/vmc
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Wilderness
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Posted on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 8:59 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Many thanks Hornwrecker.

This aerial gives you an idea of the amount of land that is required for a one mile track.
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Wilderness
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Posted From: 67.38.23.50
Posted on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 9:22 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I cannot present the article (to follow) without providing some insight to the author.
I have just under 200 articles digitzed by John L. Hervey and nearly each is a masterpiece.
In all Hervey's writings, he remained commited to a Latin phrase, "De mortuis nil nisi bonum"

The following bio is from the Phil Pines book (previously mentioned) and is used for Mr. Hervey's Hall of Fame bio:

JOHN HERVEY
Born in 1869 in Jefferson, Ohio, Hervey was raised in a horseman's family. As a young man his knowledge of horse breeding and personalities led him to his profession-writing. William Fasig hired him to work in his sales organizations and soon he was writing articles for the turf journals. He joined the staff of the HorseReview and remained with it writing under the name of "Volunteer." His writings on all phases of the horse were masterpieces. He was also an authority on the English and American Thoroughbred. His book The American Trotter is still the 'bible" of reference for horsemen. He died in Chicago in December 1947, after his retirement a few years earlier.
end of quote

Although Hervey's words were excess by today's standardards, I'm not aware of a turf-scribe of today that is not appreciative of Hervey's skills and knowledge. Any breed of horses, even dogs and other creatures.
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Wilderness
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Posted on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 9:22 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The following article was published in December 1st, 1937 Harness Horse magazine.
As the article explains in the beginning it's intent was to provide composition on the passing of W. H. Gocher.
Hervey opens with a few paragraphs and then switches abruptly to "Danny" Campau/Gocher relationship.
Leaving the Mr. Gocher till the closing paragraphs.

Leaves of Old-Time Trotting Politics
By JOHN HERVEY
THERE was nothing particularly surprising in the announcement made in the press of the passing of W. H. Gocher, which occurred on November 20 at his home in Hartford, Conn. His health had long been precarious and at intervals for several years past it had been even more than that. As he was afflicted with a disease that causes great pain (arthritis), the fact that he breathed his life away in his sleep without suffering was the last favor that worn-out nature could bestow upon him.
It was quite a term of years since I had last seen him, at one of the Lexington meetings. He was then rather decrepit physically, and the great contrast he presented to the man I had first met, in the long ago, was striking. The occasion last-named was, as I recall it, in the year 1890. At that time I had many relatives and friends in the city of Cleveland, O., and among them my only brother. I had from childhood been an omnivorous reader of the turf journals and practically every one published in the country either came to me every week, or else to some friend who passed it along for my perusal.
Among these was the American Sportsman of Cleveland—a paper in which I was particularly interested as a good Ohioan, being born and bred a "Buckeye." Cleveland had for many years been one of the biggest trotting horse towns in America. The whole state was for that matter, a trottinghorse hot-bed. Often its horsemen were heard to lament that they had to depend upon papers published in New York or Chicago to get the home news and to wish they had one of their own. The American Sportsman was the fulfilment of that wish.
At the time it sprung into being—which, as I recall, was somewhere around the years 1888 or 1889—conditions were ripe for its advent; which was grasped by the then-sporting editor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the late Frank H. Brunell. Brunell was of English birth but had been brought when young to Canada by his parents and had found his way south across the Great Lakes to the Forest City, gotten into journalism and through natural inclination, become a sportswriter and then sporting editor. He also married an Ohio girl, from the town of Madison, not far from Cleveland. She developed into a woman of very forceful personality who did much to help him achieve the great worldly success that later came to him.
Brunell had great gifts, both in journalism per se and the sporting end of it, and he made the sports pages of the Plain Dealer worthy of one of the big New York dailies. He drew a big salary (for those days), and as he and his wife were both good financiers, he not only made but saved money. He was ambitious, however, to be something more than just a salaried journalistic worker, and thought he saw an opportunity to establish a trotting horse paper in Cleveland that would be a winner. However, he was too shrewd to give up his good newspaper job to go into such a venture with his eggs all in one basket. He proposed to keep on at his regular work and get a partner in his new departure who would be able, with his aid, to carry on.
The man he chose was W. H. Gocher, with whom he had formed an acquaintance because of two things. Gocher was, like himself, a Canadian; though by birth and not by adoption. He was also a turf journalist, who had begun at his trade in Canada, and from there, like Brunell himself, come down into "the States" because of the much greater opportunities they offered. Eventually he got a position on the old Chicago Horseman as a member of its editorial staff and traveling representative, serving in both capacities as was most useful. The Horseman was then one of two trotting weeklies published in Chicago, the other being Frank H. Dunton's Spirit of the Turf. Neither had amounted to much until the Horseman was taken over by H. V. Bemis, who was then prominent in the Windy City as the proprietor of the Hotel Richelieu, one of its "swellest" hostelries, while he was also campaigning a formidable stable of horses on the Grand Circuit.
Bemis was a man who believed in doing things in a "tony" manner or not at all, and when he got hold of the Horseman, which, up to that time, had been a very one-horse affair, he began to spend money on it and build it up into a rival to the two old established New York turf journals, the Spirit of the Times and Turf, Field & Farm, which, up to that date, had monopolized the field.
There was room for a good turf paper in the Middle West and the popularity of the Horseman began to grow by leaps and bounds, until it was a real rival of the two New Yorkers. In typography it far excelled them, as well as in the quality of its illustrations, while Bemis gathered around him some clever men to edit and contribute to it.
But while he was doing all these things—running a hotel, a racing stable, a turf paper, and various other side lines, Bemis like many another man, "spread out too thin." He was obliged first to sell his racing stable. Then he was obliged to sell his turf paper. And then his hotel was, I believe, taken over by his creditors. Of these various assets, the Horseman went to Daniel J. Campau, of Detroit.
Campau, today practically forgotten (he has been dead ten or a dozen years) was from the period of about 1885 to about 1905, or for twenty years, one of the most prominent men in harness horse affairs. He was from one of the wealthy French-Canadian families of Detroit and like many of them, had a flair for the trotters. He was also a man ambitious of distinction and looking for opportunities to pose in the spotlight. One way he took of doing this was to get into trotting affairs and assume control of the old Hamtramck track, the scene of all the big harness race meetings given in Detroit.
Old Hamtramck, however, was out of date and the growing city was certain soon to blot it from the map. So Campau was the prime mover in the creation of the one that took its place—the Grosse Pointe track of famous memory, where, for an extended period, he sponsored Grand Circuit and other meetings—many of them being "other" ones, as Campau for years carried on a war against the Grand Circuit, which he proposed to "rule or ruin."
For Campau was built that way. He proposed to run everything with which he was connected or make life miserable for those who "beat him to it." He was one of the stormiest of human storm-centers, the barometrical reading in his vicinity being as a rule at a record low. And this it was that got him into the turf-paper game.
Along in the middle 1880's the National Trotting Association had become, in the opinion of everybody except those who dominated it, about as nearly rotten as anything of that kind well could be.
There was first a subdued and then an open revolt. It was just such a chance as Campau was always aching for—to get into the midst of a firstclass row and play a star part. He at once allied himself with the revolutionary party and then made himself, in effect, their leader, by a clever stroke. It was impossible to put over a real revolt against anything like the N.T.A. without an organ of effective publicity. Both the oldestablished New York turf journals aforementioned, the Spirit of the Times and the Turf, Field & Farm, were lined up, from motives of policy, with the N.T.A., and neither could be used for revolutionary propaganda. So—
D. J. Campau bought the Horseman from H. V. Bemis, who just then was urgently anxious to liquidate it, and converted it into a fighting anti-N.T.A. organ that soon was carrying terror into the enemy's country. The Horseman had already acquired a subscription list of enviable proportions. It now began preaching the gospel of revolt from the N.T.A. in the west, and the formation of a new parent body formed of the seceding members and, most especially, to comprehend practically all the territory west of the Allegheny Mountains.
In furtherance of this crusade Campau employed the best and most effective editorial writers he could secure, and, in addition, the first cartoonist ever employed by a turf paper (the late H. H. Cross) who every week furnished the readers of the Horseman with a cartoon or caricature in which the N.T.A., its officers and all its works, were depicted in the most vitriolic manner.
As, beyond this, there was a real grievance, the battle against the N.T.A., as is well known, eventuated in the seceding from it of about 50 per cent of its membership and the foundation of the A.T.A.
D. J. Campau, more than any other one man, was responsible for the creation of the A.T.A., and it was originally incorporated in his city of Detroit and opened up business there. But it soon developed that to Campau the A.T.A. was to be just a tool for his personal aggrandizement. He proposed, as it were, to carry it around in his vest pocket and do as he pleased with it.
That was quite all right from the Campau viewpoint. But, as it happened, there had been other men associated with him in the fight against the N.T.A., who were also, like him, lustful for place and power. And no very long time elapsed before there was about as pretty a fight going on inside the A.T.A. for its management and control, as anybody could well imagine.
Now, among the other peculiarities of D. J. Campau was this. He must be the whole thing, or nothing. Except as it was necessary to have the help of others, he played a lone hand in his undertakings, wished to be considered as the deus ex machina of everything he set in motion, and when he posed in the spotlight, to do a strictly solo act, without anybody sharing it. The nearest to anything of that kind he would tolerate was when, for reasons of policy, he wished to remain in the background and push somebody else forward that he worked from behind the scenes like a puppet on a wire.
It developed that this was impossible with the newlyformed A.T.A. It was apparent from the start that it was going to be a big thing, that there would be large powers vested in it—and, beyond that, plentiful loaves and fishes for those who held the reins and carried the keys of the cash-box.
"To the victor belongs the spoils." And when the fight over the spoils had been fought to a finish, it was revealed that D. J. Campau was the loser and the control of the organization had passed into the hands of a group of his bitterest enemies. About the first thing they did was to move the offices of the A.T.A. to Chicago, on the plea of a more central location. Campau was as completely out of the picture as if he never had existed.
About the time all this was happening, we may behold Campau in this position:
He was now involved in a struggle to the death—or almost that—with both the A.T.A. and the N.T.A., as well as busy carrying on guerilla warfare with numerous other men and groups in the harness world who had incurred his antagonism.
This was the juncture at which he employed W. H. Gocher as one of his editorial writers and representatives. It was under Campau that Gocher received his training as a turf journalist and a turf politician, and acquired that bent which was decisive in the shaping of his entire future life.
But there was this also about D. J. Campau. As an employer he was famous for the facility and the frequency with which he hired and fired his employes. Perhaps it was an exaggeration but it used to be a standing joke among the turf journalists of that day, that "D. J." made a trip from Detroit to Chicago four times a year to take stock of things in the Horseman office, and that every time he fired the entire force, with the possible exception of the scrub-woman, and hired a new one. As has been said, this was somewhat of an exaggeration—but it reflected a well-known trait of the man. I was once told as an actual fact that the Horseman had six different editors-in-chief within a single year.
There was also another thing about Campau in which he was rather unique. He was a man who prided himself upon his poise of manner and the fact that he never outwardly betrayed the feelings that might be seething and boiling within. And none of his employes could ever tell, from his demeanor, "how he stood with the boss." When Mr. Campau made one of his visits of inspection to the office of the paper, he might extend to some member of the staff the most Patronizing courtesy, praise his work, as Al, and give him to understand that he was high in the king's favor. And the next Saturday that same employe might receive in his payenvelope a little note saying that beginning on Monday next his services would no longer be required. That being one of "D. J.'s" idiosyncrasies.
Now, of course it was impossible that two such men as Campau and Gocher could get on together for any extended time. Campau found Gocher very useful, for he was a prodigious worker, could turn his hand to almost anything on the paper that needed to be done—and when it came to writing a vitriolic editorial, he was "there with the goods." Nobody could beat him in that gambit.
Gocher helped Campau, win his fight against the N.T.A., and for some time afterward in his war against the men who had then taken the new-born A.T.A. away from him. But Gocher was in divers ways not unlike Campau. He had an itch to be "the whole works"; and from his employer he had acquired a good deal of the technique helpful toward that end.
It was gossip at the time that Campau detected Gocher in extremely friendly relations with a certain powerful man in trotting politics who was one of his own bitterest enemies. The result was that a vacancy immediately yawned upon the staff of the Horseman.
Paying jobs on turf journals were not at that time to be plucked off the bushes. Gocher, had married young and had an increasing family to support. He was left, as it were over night (for his dismissal by Campau came like a bolt from the blue, he supposing himself very "solid" with his boss), almost without resources.
And just about that time a rescuing angel fluttered down in the shape of Frank Brunell and the new turf paper he proposed to found in Cleveland. He and Gocher were both Canadians, and they were both turf journalists, as well as personal acquaintances. Brunell proposed to Gocher to come to Cleveland and take over the office management of the new venture, while he furnished the sinews of war and such other assistance as his job of sporting editor of the Plain Dealer would allow.
It was on this basis that the American Sportsman, destined for a life of over forty years, came into being. But that basis did not long endure. Brunell (whom I knew well for an extended period up to his death about five years ago) and Gocher came to the parting of the ways within a year or so. Brunell complained that Gocher's editorials were too much of the "fighting" stripe and made too many enemies. Gocher complained that he had all the work to do, which was too much for any one man, and that Brunell was the major partner, dictated how the paper was to be run, and why, and then expected to draw down a dividend at regular intervals. Their relations became what is familiarly known as "strained" and finally the strain became an irreparable break. Brunell served notice on Gocher that either he (Gocher) would buy him (Brunell) out, or else the American Sportsman would join the vast army of journalistic ventures that, like the good, die young.
Gocher, however, had gone far enough with the Sportsman to see that it had a real future. He had also not been idle insofar as building his fences and keeping them in repair was concerned. He contacted a new angel in the shape of the late A. W. Parrish, of Cleveland, bought out Brunell, and started afresh virtually on his own; for Parrish really had little to do with running the paper after Gocher assumed control, except in the role of a "yes man."
As for Brunell, his brilliant work in Cleveland had attracted national attention, he was called to Chicago, became sporting editor of the Tribune, in which he scored a still greater success, and then gave up that position to found Daily Racing Form, which, with himself as editor and proprietor and his wife as business manager, was built up into a property for which, it is said, he received around $2,000,000 when he at last sold it, in his old age, and not long before his death.
As editor and, in effect, the "whole thing" so far as the American Sportsman went, W. H. Gocher stayed on in Cleveland until, in the late fall of 1895, the trotting-horse world received a shock that caused it to sit up and take notice. The announcement was made that W. H. Gocher had been elected secretary of the N.T.A.! If a poll had been taken as to the next probable incumbent of that office, of the whole of harness horsedom, it is doubtful if W. H. Gocher would have received a single vote—that is, unless he had personally seen to it that a few were sent in. As I have a vivid recollection of all that transpired at the time, and the feeling that existed, I do not write from hearsay.
The game of turf politics which he had originally learned under D. J. Campau, and, as he then played it, had for its object the downfall of the N.T.A., had as it were come full circle. He himself was now the secretary of the very organization which, ten years before, he had labored so diligently to rend asunder!
So adroitly had he played his cards that nobody suspected he was sitting in the deal until he had taken all the tricks. It was, of course, the only way in which that could have been done. Had it been known in advance that he was an active candidate, the opposition that would have been aroused must inevitably have spelled his defeat.
From the date when he took office at Hartford until his death, a few days ago, was a period of forty-two years. I do not propose to write a review of them in the present article—or, for that matter, any future one. The narrative would be most interesting but I am content to leave it to other pens—or let it go unwritten. I would merely say, in conclusion, that as a turf politician, W. H. Gocher was in a class by himself. His knowledge of horses—aside from their names, records, pedigrees, and their owners and trainers—was extremely limited and almost wholly superficial. His knowledge of human nature was profound.
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Bob_cosgrove
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Post Number: 353
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Posted From: 207.74.110.61
Posted on Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - 3:21 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The Detroit Driving Park was in what was platted in 1893 as today's Indian Village. At that time this area was Hamtramck Township before being annexed to Detroit c.1893.

There are photos of the Detroit Driving Park in the Burton Historical Collection of the Detroit Public Library.

The oval ran from near East Jefferson Avneue north to present-day St. Paul.

Bob Cosgrove
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Bob_cosgrove
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Posted on Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - 3:56 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I should have mentioned the Detroit Driving Park was between present day Seminole and Burns centered on Iroquois Avenue. It ran north from East Jefferson Avenue to present day St. Paul. Indian Village, only three streets wide - Seminole, Iroquois & Burns 1 mile north to Mack.

The Driving Park first opened in 1853 on the southern end of the Abraham Cook Farm (d.1847). The Cook Farm ran 3 miles north to present-day Harper Avenue just north of the I-94.

Cook's son-in-law John Owen Sr. (c.1809-c.1892) was the adminstrator of his estate. John Owen was a leading Detroit business man. During the Civil War was Michigan's Secretary of State, which probably explains why the Michigan State Fair was held on the Cook Farm a few years at that time. It obviously utilized the Detroit Driving Park.

Bob Cosgrove
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Wilderness
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Posted From: 68.73.4.14
Posted on Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - 10:44 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Many thanks Bob.

Any idea what the other section road between Mack and Harper was at that time?
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Wilderness
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Post Number: 10
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Posted From: 67.38.18.35
Posted on Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - 3:03 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

the following from the Dec 25, 1893 Michigan Horse News; "published weekly by M. L. Knowles" of Detroit:

Detroit Driving Club

First and foremost of the organizations depending for a continuance upon the horse is the Detroit Driving Club. After a fitful experience for a quarter of a century the Hamtramck track passed into the hands of this organization in 1884, when Daniel J. Campau was secretary. Two years later he became president and the success of the organization has been little short of wonderful since then. Not a year has elapsed but that Detroit has sent out a sensation which kept all the other tracks busy to duplicate, and not a fall has rolled around but that every stockholder has received his dividend of the profits of the summer. The old track rose from the den of iniquity into which it suink under one regime to the greatest trotting course in all the world, and now that it is to be cut up into town lots one might regret its demise but for the fact that it is to be succeeded by a track as far superior to the one on which All the Blue Ribbon meetings have been held as was it to the fenceless track on the same site where tile old French farmers used to do their racing. Three years ago the Driving Club began looking for a new location, not caring to renew the Hamtramck lease at its expiration, but not until the past summer was it announced. Then the old club passed from existence and the new Detroit Driving Club was organized, with a capital of $150,000, including many of the old stockholders and a host of new ones. The profits of the old club made the sale of stock rapid despite the hard times, and almost before it was generally known that Mr. Campau was organizing a new club he had $75,000 subscribed, starting the list with $10,000, and being followed by Senator McMillan, ex-Senator Palmer and Don M. Dickinson with $5,000 after each name. The club organized and a committee of the board examined several available sites. One of Mr. Campau's Grosse Pointe farms, lying on the south side of the avenue, just beyond Connor's Creek, was selected and the eighty odd acres were purchased from him.
The building of the track began in the summer and experts in all parts of the country were consulted before the point of the plow pierced the homestretch. Teams and men were kept busy until the ground froze up and the farm has been converted into a model track. The surface is two feet above the level of the ground and through the homestretch the width to 85 feet, while on the backstretch it is 65 feet. A foundation of sod and clay makes the track elastic, and on the turns there its a grade of an inch to the foot, making it possible to maintain extreme speed while rounding the comers. Three hundred feet from the wire the incline begins, and from there to the quarter pole the track is uphill three feet. Then it shoots down in the last quarter and fainthearted horses will be able to come the last furlong at a clip surprising to their drivers. The drainage is perfect, the open ditch and the systems being used. With the big pump house near the lake the track can be drained in wet weather, and in dry weather the ditches can be flushed and the tiles filled so that the elasticity will be an ever present quality. There will be it broad boluevard from the avenue to the lake, shaded by fine trees and beautifying the scene.
The entrance will be at the corner of the boulevard and the avenue, and is very ornamental. Just inside of it is the comfortable secretary's home. This is an attractive building, and the first floor is devoted to the office, a reception room and dining hall, while on the floor above are the sleeping rooms. The stabling will be a departure in that sheds are to be dispensed with, and in their places will be 13 stables, accommodating from 22 to 24 horses each, and arranged in a semi-circle around the upper turn. The aisles between them for exercising after heats are broad, and the stalls will be 12 by 12 each, so there will toe no crowding.
The wire is farther up the stretch than at Hamtramck, an innovation that has worked very successfully at Lansing and Windsor. The grand stand is to be 500 feet long, and will have a seating capacity of 5,000. The betting privilege will b 300 feet long and on a level with the ground, while the rest of the space will be occupied by the bar and refreshment room. Midway between the first floor and highest seats in the grand stand will be a promenade, so that occupants of the stand can see the betting ring and not necessarily mingle with the plungers. The stand is ornamental iron and wood. In front of the private boxes will be a sodded terrace sloping to the track and lending charm to the view.
Something decidedly new for a race track in this vicinity and something that win be heartily appreciated by the members of the club will be the clubhouse, which will be erected south of the grand stand. The object of building this house is to provide a place where members of the club can enjoy cafe privileges and other advantages offered by a club. It is the intention to keep the club house, open the year round, and the cuisine and appointments will be first-class, The dimensions of the club house will be 69X80 feet, with three stories and a basement. A two-story veranda. will run around the entire building. There will be large three-story classic porches over the front and rear entrances, a tower on the southeast corner, and a balcony on the upper floor, from which a fine view of the lake may be had. On the first floor will be at reception hall 30x60 feet, a cafe 23x34 feet, a sideboard room, ladies' parlor, 23x34 feet, with adjoining, toilet room. The offices and checkroom will also be located on the first floor, and there will be a fire place in each room. The ceilings will be paneled in wood, with an elaborate finish in the colonial style.
On the second floor the entire front will be devoted to it diningroom, 27x80 feet, with two private dining-rooms, kitchen and pantry in the rear.
The third floor will be devoted to guests' chambers, each furnished with bath. Around the house will be arranged shrubbery, trees and plants, in a manner to produce the prettiest effects. South of the club house will be erected sheds for the horses of members.
At the foot of the driveway a large dock will be built, at which the ferry steamers will land pasengers.
The stockholders of the club are very sanguine of its success, and the career of the organization in the past warrants them in their belief. It has been Mr. Campau's purpose to interest as many an possible in the venture, and in that way he brings the club nearer to the people. The officers are Daniel J. Campau, president; George M. Vail, vicepresident; A. R. Munger, treasurer; P. M. Campbell, secretary; the above and Hon. James McMillan, W. L. Churchill. of Alpena, F. F. Palms, Gilberry W. Lee, D. O. Haynes and W. W. Collier, directors.
At least two trotting meetings a year will be given, one to be held in September after the return of the horses from the east. and for the purpose of creating records. The Blue Ribbon meeting will take place, as usual, on the third week of July, and it is probable one running meeting will be all annual feature.

I've also inculded an artists rendition of the building.





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Wilderness
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Post Number: 11
Registered: 09-2006
Posted From: 67.38.18.35
Posted on Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - 3:14 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Also accompanying the article was a site layout.

Had I downsized the image for this fourm?
It would have been rather obscure. The text is even difficult at this size.

Jefferson Ave on the left and I'm assuning the river on the right, which is backwards of how we might visualize it.

The text read:
A. Grandstand
B-B. Barns
C. Club House
D. Power House
E. Tackman's House
F. Tackman's Barn
H. Hitching Sheds
P. Ouddling Paddock
R. Main Entrance
S. Secretray's House
T. Ticket Shed
W. Wharf

You will NEED to copy and paste the following link into your browser. Clicking on the link will NOT work from this forum.


http://www.mi-harness.net/jibh/GPDrivingClubProperty.jpg



Additionall there was an article on the following page which suggests there was another track 1/2 mile above this property. (this could possibly be the track that others have referred to up further in GP).

The Detroit Jockey Club.

CAN running races be made to pay in Detroit is a question that has long been been discussed in turf circles. It has been years since the experiment has been tried and while Chicago, New York and other places have raved over the winners of derby and handicaps Detroiters had to content themselves with reading the accounts in the press. That the thoroughbred has been a sadly neglected quantity here there is little doubt. There was a jockey club here just before the driving club reorganized and it made money the first year. So much was lost on the second attempt, however, that the club ended its existence and since then the only running has been at the exposition half mile track where a few fly-by-night bang tails delighted the asseembled of thousands. For several years Mr. Geo. M. Hendrie has been formulating a plan by which Detroit would have a first class jockey club but his business affairs were not such that he could devote his time to the project until this year. Early in the spring he organized the Detroit Jockey Club, picked out a place of Grossee Pointe land at Fox creek and began building a track. For over three months men dug trenches and laid drains and when this was finished the work of throwing up the turns was begun. During the summer and fall both turns were built and the home and back stretches laid out and now all that is neccessary is the winter settling and the top dressing which can be put on just after the frost leaves the ground. The track is a model running course and is being built for use no matter what the weather may be. The drainage is a very complete job and the soil is elastic yet firm so that while trotters scare records on the driving club's chain lightning track a half mile below it the runners will cover the furlongs at the jockey club as fast as they ever have.
It was not the easiest matter on earth to get people interested in the jockey club, despite its the prestige with which it started, for Detroit has been regarded as a trotting horse town clear through. Mr. Hendrie has associated with himself the wealth of the city and the list of stockholders contains the names of the most prominent social and business leaders. It is the intention to make like grand stand, club house and betting shed in keeping with a first class club and hammers will be ringing on the grounds early in the spring. The land being so close to the point it a it's a simple matter to make a channel for ferry boats and the track will be accessible by either land or water, the electric line running a spur to the grand stand. Detroit will be in the same circuit as Toronto and Hamilton. The racing begins at Toronto on the week of May 24 and the following week finds the bangtails at the new Hamilton track. Then they come here the jumps being short and the premiums very attractive. All of the cracks of Canada will be on hand and in addition to them many eastern horses that are working west for the Chicago meeting.
The inaugural Detroit meeting will take place the second week in June and will probably last six days.
Mr. F. H. Walker is president of the club, George Hendrie is vice-president, and George M. Hendrie vice-secretary and treasurer. The board of directors consists of these three and John Owen Jr., W. H. Muir, James H. McMillan, and Fred T. Moran.

(Message edited by wilderness on September 12, 2006)
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Mikem
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Posted on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 4:33 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Found this Sanborn map from 1910 showing the defunct Grosse Pointe Race Track, labeled as the Detroit Racing Association. I think the size and loction of the track are approximate. I 've heard someone say the entrance was at Lenox Street and another at Algonquin, which I think is more accurate. Also, the initial stretch of Algonquin off of Jefferson has a small median - maybe what's left of the double arches?



Detroit Driving Association

Regarding the Highland Park track, I found that it was built in 1894 as a half-mile track for the Gentlemens Driving Club; James Miller, President. First race there was June 18-21, 1895.

The club property was subsequently sold to Edward Fee, et al, November, 1896. This new group organized the Highland Park Club February 13, 1897. In April they acquired more land and rebuilt the track into a modern one-mile course, holding the first meet June 8 - July 5, 1897.

(Message edited by MikeM on September 16, 2006)
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Wilderness
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Posted on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 7:40 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Many thanks Mikem.

I thought the few had lost interest in this ;)

I've archived portions of that 1853 Michigan Horse News.
There were some bios of horsemen of Michigan. About a dozen or more in all. Most would be rather boring for this group.
The one excpetion is a George V. Voorhis who was a "saloon keeper" on Woodward year-a-round in the 1893 publication.
Read as follows:

GEO. W. VOORHIS.
Inset in this issue of the Michigan Horse News is a photograph compuded of several of Michigan's most famous reinsmen. Prominent among them and occupying the central portion is like visage of Geo. Voorhis, famous for many years as a trainer, driver and gentlemen, well and favorably known throughout the length and breadth of this broad land. Mr. Voorhis became connected with racing in 1858, engaging himself at that time as a helper in caurge of famous old Magna Charta, who was as game a race horse as ever existed. Mr. Voorhis rode Magna in a number of racces to saddle and then left him, coming in 1866 to Detroit, where he opened the first public racing stable in this state.
Mr. Voorhis' firs race of any prominence was driven at Romeo in 1861, in which he won a $100 purse with a horse called Blue Dick, defeating Sebastopol, a famous campaigner of that day. At this time there would only be two or three horses in a race, and four or five homes would go against time. the one going the fastest taking the purse. From 1866 to 1873 Mr. Voorhis' cracker Jack was a horse called Diamond, who was trotted in over a hundred races, never getting worse then second money, and going in many different states. He trotted races in 2:35, and could in this day and age beat 20 at least. When a race was finished Diamond would be hitched to a sulky or road wagon, be drove 50 or 100 miles to the next race, and perhaps on the day of his arrival, would go against a good field.
Ruby, bought from Hiram Woodruff, was next in Mr. Voorhis' string. She cost $3,500 as a 3-year old, but won many a hardfought race, taking a record of 2:3231/4. Brown Dick was next campaigned, and he took a record of 2:241/2, but could have beat 2:15, it necessary. He won all of his races, including a great race of six heats against Gratton, Lady Starr and others. Following Brown Dick came the famous campaigner Cozette, whose performauces in the hands of Mr. Voorhis are matters of turf history and of pardonable pride to him. In 1876 this great mare won $10,580, clear of all expenses. In '77 she won almost as much, defeating such great horses LAdy Turpin, Adelaide, and others. Her greatest race was at Chicago the same year, as the great Rochester race. She was a great trotter, only 15 hands high, weighing about 1,000 pounds, and she won every nice she trotted on a hard track. A large picture of this race is on exhibition in Mr. Voorhid' saloon, on Woodward avenue. Monarch Rule was campaigned in the late 70's. In this period Dan Mace, John Murphy, Wm. McLaughlin, O. A. Hicuk, John Splan, Jas. Goldsmith, Geo. Sanders, Gus. Glidden, and famuous Nosey Brown, a great character, who was known if he wanted to lose a race to run his horse into a fence, were prominent at this time in the turf world. Next Mr. Voorhis' campaigned Lady Turpin, Woodpecker, Lady Voorhis, Tom Britton, 2:26, until 1880. Then came Ocan Chief, said to have been the finest looking trotting horse ever campaigned. He won every race he started in under Mr. Voorhis management, taking a mark of 2:263/4. Black Cloud, 2:171/4, was piloted by Mr. Voorhis' in '79, '80 and '82, and his match race against Jerome Eddy, at Buffalo, is one of the most famous in the annals of the trotting horse. Two heats of this sixheat race were dead heats, and the sixth heat, won by Black Cloud, was the fastest sixth heat ever trotted up to that date. Pilot R., 2:211/4, won at lot of races for Mr. Voorhis; in 1882, and was sure of money wherever he started. Waiting, 2:241/4; Louis R., Judge Parsons and Rigolette followed, winning a lot of races. In 1884 and 1885, Gladys, 2:23; Victor, 2:211/4, and Silverthread, a wonderful pacer, with a mark of 2:151/4, were driven in and won many races. This pacer was one of the first fast pacers in the country and had worlds of speed, being driven by Mr. Voorhis a half in 1:03, a quarter in 291/4 seconds, being thp first horse in the world to pace a quarter better than 30 seconds, or a two-minute clip. Franceps, 2:24; Belmont, 2:28; and Geo. V., 2:201/4 were driven by Mr. Voorhis in '85 and '86. Since that time until last season Mr. Voorhis has not been out with the boys, his extensive buisness interests in this city utilizing his time. Mr. Voorhis has put more horses in the staudard list than any other man in Michigan; he was noted for many years before the present cycle of fast racing, and for seventeen years was the lessee of the famous Hamtramck course in this city, which has lately passed from the stage of action.
A visitor to the Axtell saloon on Woodward avenue will find Mr. Voorhis ready to live over the scenes of his many triumphs in the past, and gather inspiration for the future of the horse and his kingdom from this sterling gentleman who speaks with a knowledge that 35 years practical experience gives. It is a pleasure none interested in the horse should forego to meet Michigns's most famous reinsman when in Detroit.
end of quote

Any chance there's any information on the location of Mr. Voorhis "Axtell Saloon"?

BTW Axtell and Allerton were famous horses of a C. W. Williams (there was an article on Williams in the 1893 Mich Horse News), I have an article online ow which has NOT a thing to do with Michigan:
http://www.mi-harness.net/publ ct/hh/fairytle.html
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Mikem
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Posted on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 11:23 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Wilderness, thanks for your research and contributions. It's not that we lose interest, we just run out of information.

I found this 1894 atlas and to my surprise, there was yet another track in the area. The Detroit Jockey CLub looks like it's squeezed between roughly Lakewood or Chalmers and the Fox Creek:

Detroit Jockey Club
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Jerome81
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Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 12:09 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Wow. this forum never ceases to amaze me.

Going all the way back, even though there are 2 "grosse pointe" racetracks (Detroit Driving Club and Detroit Jockey Club), the race between Ford and Winton took place at the Detroit Driving club, near Algonquin/Lenox?

I am truly fascinated. And the stories and detail and photos make me wish that sometimes you could go back, just to see what it was like.
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Wilderness
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Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 1:10 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Jerome,
I think everybody is pretty much in agreement of the location of the track for the Ford-Winston race.
I believe there is even some mention of it on the FoMoCo website and a dozen or so reps were at Burton in early 2003 digging for data to celebrate the 100th Anniversary.

Mikem,
That second track is the one I was referring to in my Post # 11, and the article titled Detroit Jockey Club.
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Wilderness
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Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 10:41 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Here's the 2nd article on "Danny" Campau.
From March 2, 1938 Harness Horse magazine.

Among My Correspondents

Another Sheaf of Notes and Comments Inspired by Their Communications

By JOHN HERVEY

I HAVE of late been devoting this department of the magazine oftener than not to themes brought up by correspondents in the numerous letters with which they favor me. But while I have utilized a considerable number in that way, it is a small part of the whole. I still have at my elbow a thick pile of such epistles, some of them dating months back, which, for various reasons I have been unable to give the attention I would have liked. This week, therefore, I shall again draw upon the reserve fund.
Back in the early winter I wrote a sketch called "Leaves From Old-Time Trotting Politics." It was inspired by the passing of the late W. H. Gocher, for over 40 years past secretary of the N. T. A., and included some reminiscences of his early career and the manner in which he rose to prominence in the trotting world. Among other things, it was mentioned that only a few years before he landed his solong-lasting job (as also so-lucrative-according to local gossip, Mr. Gocher was worth over $200,000 quite a while back, or so the belief was in Hartford, his financial talents being remarkable) he had been one of the lieutenants of the late D. J. Campau of Detroit, in the latter's campaign to put the N. T. A. out of business. In the connection some reminiscences were given of Mr. Campau's career in the trotting horse world, and of his striking personality.
Several letters that reached me from readers of this sketch testified to their interest in it. They were from veterans, as a rule now retired from activity and seldom heard from, who were then in the thick of affairs and still retain a vivid recollection of "Danny," as D. J. Campau was familiarly called in circles where he was not dominant. In circles where he was, such a thing would have been impossible, for he was extremely punctilious in those matters not only, but especially prided himself upon his social polish and cultured manner. In writing of him I alluded to the fact that though for at least 25 years he was one of the leading personalities in harness horse affairs, he was today little known or remembered, his name even being a strange one to the modern horseman.
Among the letters elicited by my sketch was a long and very interesting one from an old acquaintance of those distant times, formerly prominent in turf journalism but quiescent for a long while. As his letter was not written for publication I will not mention his name, nor give any clue to his identity, but I am sure he will not be offended if I reproduce some paragraphs from it that are of special interest. I quote:
"I read, with a great deal of pleasure, your article about W. H. Gocher and D. J. Campau. The comments upon D. J. interested me even more than those upon Gocher because I never met the latter until after he located in Hartford as Secretary of the N. T. A.; while I had known D. J. back in Detroit in the middle 'eighties. You certainly have got D. J.'s character down fine, only one thing that you missed was his peculiarity of pretending 'not to recognize a person, I although he knew them very well. He considered that everybody, of course, knew him-but the other fellow was too unimportant to be recognized."
Yes, I recall that very well-having myself been one of the human worms which the great man from Detroit frequently condescended to disremember. It was in the year 1892 that I located in Chicago as a member of the editorial staff of the Horse Review. The latter was then a comparative newcomer in the field, while the Horseman, Mr. Campau's paper, a considerably older weekly, was admittedly the leading turf paper of the country. It had wrested the primacy from the Spirit of the Times and the Turf, Field & Farm, the two old and famous New York papers, and was really a superb publication.

As I have said before about Mr. Campau, he was a man of wealth, fond of the luxury in which he had always lived (he came of a wealthy French-Canadian family) and he liked everything with which he was connected to reflect his tastes. As the Horseman was also making a lot of money, for everything in the racing line was then booming, that farther incited him to build it up into by far the most elegant turf paper that America had ever up to that time boasted. It was beautifully printed on fine paper, the illustrations were profuse and most attractive, the editorial corps, headed by Leslie E. MacLeod was large and talented, the corps of correspondents was of similar caste and the special contributors the ablest procurable.
For the period-or indeed, for any-the Horseman of those days was a brilliant exponent of what a high-class turf journal should be. It had, in truth, but one drawback. That was the unpopularity of its owner and the fact that the editorial page was the vehicle for promoting his personal views and purposes (not by any means the most disinterested in the world) and carrying the battle to his enemies, of whom he had plenty. One often heard the comment among horsemen: "I have no use for Danny Campau-but he gets out the greatest horse paper in America."
When the Horse Review was started, it aroused only the pitying contempt of Mr. Campau. He affected to treat it as he did those mere mortals with whom he could not entirely avoid some contact-to wit, as if it wasn't there. But as it made a big success almost from the outset within no very long while it had reached that status where it could not be ignored; for it had invaded the territory not only, but the very citadel of the Horseman, and was making inroads upon its business, circulation and prestige.
This was gall and wormwood to D. J., who adopted the attitude of regarding the Review as a filthy rag unworthy the attention of a gentleman, while those connected with it were, necessarily, a parcel of low-browed, vulgar and unspeakable persons. However, Mr. Campau, who loved to make a conspicuous figure upon big occasions, for in the limelight he fairly basked, found it impossible to wholly avoid the wretched individuals connected with the low sheet whose name he affected to be unable even to remember; and when some third party, quite possibly a big man not to be ignored, innocent of the situation, might introduce him to one of them, the comedy that was enacted was something like this:
"Mr. Campau, this is Mr. X., of the Horse Review. As you are in the same business you ought to know each other."
Mr. Campau was a man of short stature, but like many men of that type, carried himself with pomp and ceremony. He was invariably garbed in the most elegant and expensive habiliments and was never seen upon a grand occasion (or most others) without a flower, generally a carnation, in his buttonhole. His complexion was very pale and his hair very dark, his eyes were of a cold, steely glitter, and his voice was of a peculiar huskiness that, once heard was unforgetable. He spoke always in a careful, calculated manner, as if his words were of great import and required the most special enunciation. And when the innocently-well-meaning introducer had in his ignorance presumed to present to him any one connected with the ridiculous sheet that was pretending to compete with the Horseman, he would, as it were, turn instantly into a block of ice, the glitter in his eyes would become still more steely, and extending a hand as cold as zero itself in a barely perceptible gesture, he would say:
"Ah, indeed! I've never heard of the publication you mention but I am happy to meet Mr. X."
After which be would turn his back squarely upon the scamp he had been obliged to defile himself by addressing and occupy himself with the scenery, or else, if it happened to be in a crowded grandstand, the fair ladies within view; D. J. being a bachelor celebrated for his interest in the sex and his many conquests among them.
The unfortunate object of his scorn would meanwhile extricate himself from an intolerable position and make his escape as best he might.
As it chanced, I had not been for many months upon the Review staff before it fell to me to play the role of the victim of the lightning. I was then little but a "raw recruit," also not far past voting age, and thus far my meetings with horsemen had been pleasant experiences. While D. J. and the Horseman were naturally discussed in my home office and I had learned something of Mr. Campau's personal peculiari-ties, nobody-had warned me about those of which I was without warning made the target; and I suppose I was never more embarrassed in my life-or, beneath the embarrassment, felt more keenly and irreparably insulted. I was also con-scious that Mr. Campau was hugely pleased and delighted.
This was the first of a series of similar incidents. During the next few years I was repeatedly introduced to the Great Man. If the introducer happened not to mention that I was connected with the loathed H. R., Mr. Campau (who, they say, never forgot a face or a name, no matter howsoever he might affect to) would again give me the frozen mitt, the steely stare, and the rear elevation. If the H. R. was lucklessly mentioned, he again made the little speech professing ignorance of its existence. I was, however, now prepared for him and got as much amusement out of the play as anybody, pretending to be covered with confusion by his greeting but inwardly "consumed with laughter"; for who could but be conscious that such a manner was one of which no real gentleman would be guilty?
Some of time's revenges are very ironical. Years passed-many of them. Gradually the Horseman declined in popularity and circulation, very largely through the unpopularity of its owner and the fact that he was so difficult for his employes to get on with, which led to constant changes in the staff, not a good thing for any journal; especially a turf journal, behind which is the feeling immortalized by Admiral Rous in his famous epigram: "All men are equal, on the turf and under it." But D. J. Campau was rich, and he was as proud as the Prince of Darkness is fabled to be. He kept the Horseman going year after year when it was losing heavily, until finally he reached the end and decided that he would suspend publication and dispose of the paper.
In the days of its glory he could have sold it for a big price. But now it was wanted by nobody. He tried unsuccessfully on all sides to find a buyer. And then driven by necessity, took a step that must have been one of the most cruelly repugnant to such a man that could be possible. Never before had he set foot in the Review office. Never had he extended to anybody he knew to be connected with it anything but scorn. But now he came in person, seeking an interview with its proprietor, in the endeavor to sell it to him at any price he would give.
I shall never forget that morning; such incidents leave memories that are imperishable. Having gone out from the editorial room into the "front office," I was startled as if by a ghost when I saw walk in-D. J. Campau himself! It seemed incredible at first. And what was still more incredible, this time he made no pretense of not knowing me but extended his hand and spoke my name, then asking if Mr. Bauer was in and could he see him. He was at once ushered into that gentleman's private office by his secretary and remained there a long while. As it was a busy morning for me, I was not aware when he went, but it was nearly noon when Mr. Bauer walked into the editorial room and said to me:
"It's a queer thing-after all that's passed through all these long years. I know perfectly well that had our positions been reversed, I would have received short shrift and bitter humiliation. But-I couldn't help being sorry for D. J. I suppose he never did anything in his life before that was such a terrible blow to his pride. He couldn't help showing it, either-at first. But when he found that he was being treated with consideration, he almost broke down. He threw aside his high and mighty airs and talked to me as man to man, freely and frankly, or as frankly as such a man ever can, I opine, not only treating me as his equal, but even, strange as it may seem, more than that! For he asked me to tell him why it was that the Horseman had made such a complete and utter failure after having been so great a success? How much money he had spent on it, how much time and attention devoted to its affairs, what great efforts he had made to preserve it at the head of turf journalism, only to see it gradually wither and die like a plant hit by the blight, until at last it was practically without readers or patrons or any reason for existence. . . .Yes-it was hard. He showed it. And I couldn't help feeling sorry for him. I'd never have supposed that I could be-but I was. And he was grateful for my sympathy. He actually said so. Who could ever have believed it?-D. J. Campau!-Who could ever have believed it?"
That was all of 20 years ago. The Horse Review was then, as for more than a decade afterward, at the height of its success and prosperity. And the knowledge of what was coming for it and for him was mercifully withheld from John C. Bauer, whose ultimate tragedy was so complete and whose heart, always so full of sympathy for others, broke at last when, in his hour of desperate need unlike D. J. Campau, with no fortune behind him upon which to fall back, he confronted the world to find it more stony and repellent than ever Campau at his apogee had been.
In concluding I will quote one more anecdote from my friend's letter, which contains numerous others of the onceso-famous Detroiter:
" 'Danny' Campau always wanted to be IT and it was an accepted story in Detroit in the old days that he always had his own way. But when the old Campau Estate (that of D. J. Campau, Sr.) was divided up after his death, there were three important pieces of property; the Campau office building on Griswold Street, the hotel on a cross street whose name I do not now recall, but located one block nearer the River than the old Russell House; and the Hamtramck race track property with adjoining grounds. There were three heirs, D. J., his brother and his sister. They agreed to draw lots for the various holdings. The brother drew the office building. The sister drew the hotel. And Danny drew the race track. I well remember the gossip that went the rounds at the time. It was that for once Danny had got the worst of a deal. But-it turned out just the other way. A building boom struck the Hamtramck district and the race track and adjoining sites proved to be worth more than the office building and the hotel put together. Another of D. J.'s scoops!' "
There are still more intimate and still more interesting anecdotes of Campau in the letter, but as I have said, it came to me "not for publication," and while I feel that the writer will not object to the two minor quotations I have made, I will not extend them.
As I look back at him, from this distance, the figure of "D. J." is at once distinct and yet almost faded out. I can see and hear him as plainly as if he stood before me again, for his was a personality that left a lasting impress upon those with whom he came in contact. But he is, also, not only "among the folks in history" but almost dropped out of it. Probably he will always belong in the history of trotting politics, if they may be said really to have one. And he was the originator of those two once-so-famous "classics," the $10,000 M. & M. trot and the $5,000 Chamber of Commerce pace, which over an extended period were head-liners among light-harness events, their many renewals having made racing history that will be always worth retelling.
The man Campau, however, with his cold, self-centered, egomaniac conception of life, his universe which consisted solely of D. J. Campau and getting what D. J. Campau wanted-offers an instructive if not an edifying picture. To which, as a last touch, may be added the fact that after having lived the life of a bachelor until he was something past 60 years of age, and during that time been the hero (?) of many romances (if so they might be called) he finally took to himself a wife. As might have been expected she was much younger than himself, as well as very handsome. And it was said-with what truth, of course, I cannot affirm-that she led him a tumultuous life. He had got another thing that he wanted, as he always had, but it turned out to be rather something else!
My last sight of him was not long after his marriage. For years he had not been seen at a race meeting, but then he turned up one afternoon at Randall with his newly acquired better half. The contrast between them was startling. "Danny," though elaborately gotten up, looked old and rather galvanized and making an effort to play his part; while Mrs. Danny was fresh and plump and very thoroughly all there. They were guests in a box not far from that of a friend in which I was seated and I had an excellent opportunity to observe and even study them. . . .another page of the everlasting Comidie Humaine.
And after not so many years of wedded bliss, the end of all things came for Mr. Campau. He had tried many things-sport, business, politics, culture, literature, love. It is said that more than one woman had loved him to her sorrow; but that he ever loved anybody, man or woman, but himself, is doubtful, and if he ever had a real friend is doubtful too. . . .A strange character, who for years had dropped out of my memory until the death of Gocher brought him back to it with a strange livingness and force; for, as I have said, he was that kind of a man.
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Lowell
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Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 12:17 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

[Lurking in the background madly applauding MikeM, Wilderness and Hornwrecker]. Thank you so much and a special "Welcome to the Forum" goes out to wilderness.

A couple of passing thoughts. First I am inspired to finally visit Northville Downs which, I learned to my surprise, is only open in the winter months. Being in a 19th C urban sprawled village, I am wondering about the antiquity of that track.

Having a bit of an American Civil War interests, I was always puzzled why Michigan cavalry was so outstanding especially that led by Custer. [Before he got his villain stripes out west, the boy [then 23 year old] general from Monroe was nothing short of spectacular as a commander - and lucky, he had ten horses shot out from under him.] Michigan wasn't exactly cowboy country. This thread is showing that the obvious attention to horse breeding and the popularity of racing must have played into those skills and successes.

quote:

Possibly Custer's finest hour in the Civil War was just east of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863. In conjunction with Pickett's Charge to the west, Robert E. Lee dispatched Stuart's cavalry on a mission into the rear of the Union Army. Custer encountered the Union cavalry division of David McM. Gregg, directly in the path of Stuart's horsemen. He convinced Gregg to allow him to stay and fight, while his own division was stationed to the south out of the action. At East Cavalry Field, hours of charges and hand-to-hand combat ensued. Custer led a bold mounted charge of the 1st Michigan Cavalry, "sabers flashing in the sun," breaking the back of the Confederate assault, foiling Lee's plan. Considering the havoc that Stuart could have caused astride the Union lines of communication if he had succeeded, Custer was one of the unsung heroes of the battle of Gettysburg. Custer's brigade lost 257 men at Gettysburg, the highest loss of any Union cavalry brigade.


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Wilderness
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Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 3:32 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hey Lowell,
Northville Downs opened on Aug 4, 1944.

http://www.mi-harness.net/trks/Raceway.html


Northville has their won website however it's pretty dismal:
http://www.northvilledowns.com /

Today even when the racing is live at Norhville you can literally shoot a cannon through the grandstand. It's the same at most horse racing tracks across the nation.
At one time horse racing had a monopoly on gambling and entertainment (before lotteries, casinos, 150 channel cable TV and of course the internet). The industry themselves never concentrated on effective marketing. Even the publication of stories and race results in newspapers which was for many years was free and effective advertising was abused by the racing industry by not readily providing information to the non-racing public in a readily acessible format.
(off my soap-box)

There was a time when Northville did have a summer meet?
The once two big Detroit tracks (DRC and Hazel Park) used to switch horse breeds in early July of each year. During that transition, Northville held a 30-day summer meet.
It was a nice place to be in the summer. There were betting windows outside, food stands and even "Beer" outside. Patrons could sit in benches at the top of the stretch turn and literally touch the horses as they came by on the half-mile track.

I have some old photos of the track grandstand packed with people (prior to it being enclosed and the clubhouse being added), as well as a photo of 4-5 old horsemen that was taken around 1944.

In the old days (even into the early 1980's), many of the horsemen and horses used to stable at the tracks they were racing at.
Today, nearly everybody (99%) stable at a farm and ship in on race day. (mostly by trailer).

In late 1800's and early 1900's (even into the 1950's) horses were frequently shipped by train.
Michigan (and other states) even had what were know as "short-ship circuits" were rail transportation was utilized.

Here's an interesting read on early racetrack transportation:

http://www.mi-harness.net/publct/hh/trnsprt.html


As far as "the old days" and racing circuits?
Here's some early history on "the Grand Circuit" (of which the M & M Stake that was held at Grosse Pointe was a part of):

http://www.mi-harness.net/publct/hh/rgnggrnd.html


(Message edited by wilderness on September 17, 2006)

(Message edited by wilderness on September 17, 2006)
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Wilderness
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Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 4:13 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Lowell,
In haste, I neglected to thank you and your efforts for this very wonderful forum.

Michigan has a very rich horse racing history, much of it however outside of Detroit.

A primary horse in the genes of many Standardbreds today is "Peter the Great".
PTG was bred and born on the Streeter Farm of what today is Western Michigan University (I won't provide links as it's all non-Detroit material. It's an interesting read and there is much material).

There were writers and administrators from Michigan as well that made tremendous contributions to horse racing as well.
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Mikem
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Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 9:32 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks guys. I never gave much thought to where Detroiters of old got their horse racing fix. The closest contact I've had with the sport is through a close friend who gave all of his bar mitzvah gift money ($1200) to a westside character named "Bennie the Bagel King" to take to the track on his behalf, hoping to parlay it into big bucks. It was all gone within the first hour.

Wilderness, do you know what year the brief article about the Detroit Jockey Club was published?
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Wilderness
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Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 10:31 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Mikem,
That image of the Clubhouse at GP and three articles on Detroit Driving/Jockey that I posted all came from the Dec 25, 1893 Michigan Horse News.
The Michigan Horse News was "published weekly by M. L. Knowles" of Detroit.

I began my msg #10 with the same reference.
My apologies for omitting the reference the Jockey Club articles.
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Mikem
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Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 10:33 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I see it now.
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Wilderness
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Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 11:30 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Mikem,
Frequently in horse periodiacals there are republications.
The repubs were more prominent in the year-end or X-mas editions and also when the issues thinned out between November and May when there was actually not any racing (at least at that time).
The periodicals did get a little boost in content and advertsing to both promote the breeding season (during these non-racing periods)and tend with and announce the delivery of foals from the stork ;)

I seem to recall being confused by one of those Jockey Club articles (from the "Lakewood or Chalmers")giving me the impression that it may have been a republication.

I've had the photo copies of this particualr periodical for 4 1/2 years and really had not paid much attention to it until I added the items here.

As we're communicating, I've resumed archival of some 1938 issues of another periodical that are part of a 1935-40 group that I've been working on since mid-Feb of this year. (The John Hervey articles came from these periodicals).
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Wilderness
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Posted on Tuesday, September 19, 2006 - 10:31 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

1894 Grosse Point Race trophy

http://www.dumouchelle.com/cat alog.aspx?lotNum=0003

click on the text that says 25 more images left of trophy.
On next screen click images on left to get large images.

Amazing!!
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Horn_wrecker
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Posted on Friday, October 06, 2006 - 9:28 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

This is from a 1900 navigation map of the Detroit River from the NOAA website.

1900 nav map Racecourse
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Wilderness
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Post Number: 36
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Posted on Saturday, March 03, 2007 - 1:32 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Somebody is attempting to sell some 1905 photo's on ebay.
Some nice images displayed of the GP grandstand

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISA PI.dll?ViewItem&item=230097381 821&sspagename=ADME:B:AAQ:US:1
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Mikem
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Posted on Sunday, March 04, 2007 - 9:39 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

How do you know these are photos of the Grosse Pointe track?
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Wilderness
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Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2007 - 7:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Mikem,
I have multiple references in my data of Walter Direct winning the Chamber of Commerce race in 1905, which was held at the GP track. Even one or two which mention the horse (Walter Direct) going lame after having won the race. Mr. Geers is also mention with the horse. (BTW I also have a photo [bad qaulity] of Walter Direct and Mr. Geers at Providence of the same year.)

In addition, I have a reference to the horse "Bonanza which finsihed second in the "C of C" (aka Chamber of Commerce) in three consecutive years.
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Wilderness
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Posted on Wednesday, March 07, 2007 - 1:55 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The pony pacer, Bonanza 2:071/2, was second in the Chamber of Commerce in 1905, to Walter Direct 2:053/4 was second in 1906, to Ardella 2:041/4; and second in 1907, to Reproachless 2:041/4.
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Mikem
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Posted on Wednesday, March 07, 2007 - 9:07 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks - those are the first pictures of the Grosse Pointe stands I've ever seen, other than what's in the backgound of one of the top few pictures above.
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Wilderness
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Posted on Wednesday, March 07, 2007 - 4:15 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I'd save em as you'll likely not see them again ;)
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Wilderness
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Post Number: 40
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Posted on Tuesday, June 17, 2008 - 3:31 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I've added a summary of the 1904 Results from a 1904 American Horse Breeder magazine:

(Please note; link may require copying and pasting to function)

http://www.mi-harness.net/publ ct/grossepte1904.html