Caldwell County MO Archives History .....AN EARLY RACE TRACK IN HAMILTON 
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Karen Walker khw4@yahoo.com September 4, 2008, 1:56 pm

AN EARLY RACE TRACK IN HAMILTON
	Narrator:  Herbert D. Eldredge, 76

     In the seventies, possibly earlier, the outdoor community center of 
Hamilton seemed to be on the outskirts of the south east part of town in 
Dudley's pasture, about where the present George Dudley twenty acre tract 
lies, plus more land adjoining now used up in town lots.  Mr. Eldredge says it 
must have been used thus 60 years ago.  This is where occurred Fourth of July 
celebrations with arbors built for speakers, the barbeques, the base ball 
games and even horse races.  The track was an oval track, around the baseball 
diamond etc. and ran up south of present Minnie Morris home.  It was used 
whenever the owners of fast horses wanted or could get a race.  Such races 
always brought a good crowd to town.  Mr. Eldredge recalls one in particular.
     The Paxton boys (Will and Bob) ran a livery stable here and had fast 
horses and they often put on races.
     In Aug. 1879, a big crowd of about 600 people went to the track to watch 
a race between a horse called Texas Frank and the Paxton mare, Charlton Maid.  
It was a half mile race, best two out of three.  Purse was $100.  The tract 
was a fast one and the running horses were on their mettle.  The time of the 
two heats was about 52 seconds according to an old paper which spoke of it.  
The Paxton mare won.  No one who witnessed the race now recalls who were the 
judges or to whom the other horse belonged, probably an outsider.
     Interview  1934.


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