Montana State Fairgrounds Racetrack facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Montana State Fairgrounds Racetrack
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 Location in Montana
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| Location | 98 W. Custer Avenue, Helena, Montana, U.S. |
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| Built | 1870 |
| NRHP reference No. | 06001136 |
| Added to NRHP | December 20, 2006 |
The Montana State Fairgrounds Racetrack is a very old and important place for horse racing in Helena, Montana. It's also known as the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds Racetrack or Helena Downs. This track was built way back in 1870. It was part of the Montana State Fairgrounds, which is now called the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds.
This historic racetrack was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 20, 2006. This means it's recognized as a special place in history. Some parts of the track were taken down between 2006 and 2008 because new buildings were being constructed at the fairgrounds.
Contents
Horse Racing in Montana's Past
How Horse Racing Started
Native Americans were the first to bring horses to the northern Great Plains in the 1700s. Horse racing was a common activity among them in the area that later became Montana. White settlers, especially miners, also became very interested in horse racing.
The first organized horse races in Montana happened in the 1860s. These were in towns like Deer Lodge, Helena, and Virginia City. Helena's first permanent horse track was called Madam Coady's Two-Mile House. It was about 1 mile (1.6 km) long and located a few miles from Helena.
Early Fairs and Races
The first Montana Territorial Fair was held at Madam Coady's track in 1868. It included Montana's first big horse race. In 1869, Harness racing was added to the fair. This is a type of racing where horses pull a small cart with a driver.
Building the Montana State Fairgrounds Track
Creating a New Track
In August 1870, a group of Helena's important business and community leaders started a new group. They wanted to host a new regional fair. This group bought land outside Helena, where the fairgrounds are today. They immediately started building a new racetrack.
The new track was 1 mile (1.6 km) long. It followed the rules of big horse racing organizations. It had a long straight section at the end, about 0.25 miles (0.4 km) long. The track was wide enough for eight sulkies, which are the carts used in harness racing. When it was built, it was the only regulation 1-mile track in the entire Montana territory.
First Buildings at the Track
Other buildings were put up around the same time the track was built. Grandstands, where people could sit and watch races, were likely built right away. These stands were near the starting line. A "paddock" was also built. This is an area where horses are kept before a race. Three stables, buildings for horses, were also built near the track.
The Track's Early Years
Exciting Races and New Circuits
Races happened all summer long, not just during the fair. Horses came from far away, even from Salt Lake City and Kentucky. By 1884, more tracks were built in Montana, in cities like Bozeman and Butte. This led to a "Montana Circuit" for horse racing. This meant horses would race at different tracks around the state.
Races on the Montana Circuit became more exclusive. Horses had to be approved by a committee before they could race. This circuit eventually grew to include 15 tracks. Two-story judging stands were built on either side of the finish line. These allowed officials to clearly see which horses won. Over the years, these stands were replaced with more permanent buildings.
Changes and Challenges
Montana became a U.S. state in 1889. The fair was renamed the Montana State Fair in 1891. Horse racing in Helena became even more famous, with horses coming from other states to compete. The track was rebuilt that same year. A train track was also built to the fairgrounds. Some stories say that train cars full of special earth from Kentucky were used on the track.
However, tough economic times in the 1890s caused problems for the fair. The Montana State Fair closed down after the 1895 event. The fairgrounds were mortgaged, and the owners lost them.
State Ownership and Decline
Bringing the Fair Back
In 1903, people in Helena raised money to buy the fairgrounds back. They then gave the fairgrounds to the state of Montana. The track was in bad shape by then, so a lot of new soil had to be brought in to fix it. The state of Montana helped fund the fair again in 1903. In 1904, relay races were added, where teams of horses and riders race.
Around this time, a two-story platform was built near the first turn. Racing officials used this platform to direct horses and riders. The three original stables were moved and rebuilt as speed barns, which are special barns for racehorses. More barns and stables were built later. Two small cottages were also built, one for the racetrack veterinarian.
New Grandstands and Betting Ban
Big changes were made to the viewing area after 1904. Three sets of bleachers (rows of seats) were added between 1903 and 1914. The old grandstands were torn down in 1906 and replaced with much larger ones. These new grandstands were about 260 feet (79 m) long and 60 feet (18 m) wide. They cost a lot of money and could seat 5,000 people. Underneath the grandstands were a small dressing room for jockeys, a restaurant, and rooms for placing bets.
Horse racing at the Montana State Fair started to slow down after the Montana Legislature made betting on horse races illegal in 1914. The fair also faced money problems when the state cut its funding. A long period of drought also meant fewer people showed their animals or products at the fair. Because of these problems, the fair was canceled in 1926. Only small fairs were held from 1927 to 1932.
Betting Returns and Track Changes
The ban on betting was lifted in 1930. That year, more than 350 high-quality racehorses from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico raced in Helena. For the first time, parimutuel betting was used. This is a system where all bets of a particular type are placed together in a pool, and the winners share the pool. The old "paddock" was replaced with a new, open-air one.
Track Closure and Reopening
End of the State Fair Era
The last Montana State Fair in Helena was held in 1932. The 1935 Helena earthquake and several fires in the 1930s and 1940s destroyed some buildings connected to the racetrack. In 1937, three of the north stables and the veterinarian's cottage burned down. Horse racing stopped during this time. Most of the track was no longer used, except for a small part in front of the grandstand, which became part of an automobile race track.
The largest of the north barns was moved in 1938. The other north barns were either burned down or taken down by 1951. Both of the finish-line judging stands were also removed by then.
New Races and a New Name
In 1953, a new, smaller track for Stock car racing was built inside the old automobile track. This stock car track was used until 1956.
Horse racing finally returned to the track in 1964. This was some years after the first Last Chance Stampede, a rodeo event, was held at the fairgrounds. Around this time, some newspapers started calling the horse track "Helena Downs." Horse racing continued until 1998. A year later, the state gave the fairgrounds to Lewis and Clark County.
County Ownership and Modern Changes
Grandstand Demolition and New Plans
The grandstands were torn down in 2000. They were in very bad condition. Some people wanted to save them, but it was too expensive. New, modern metal bleachers were put in their place. These new grandstands were designed for rodeo activities. They covered about one-eighth of the horse racing track. Parts of the track were also bulldozed to make room for rodeo events.
Because of the discussion about the grandstands, the county's historic preservation office studied the fairgrounds in 2003. In 2005, the Lewis and Clark County Fair Board started planning to change the fairgrounds for new uses. Their plans included a new grandstand and a large exhibition building inside the horse track. They also planned to tear down the home stretch of the track.
Efforts to Save the Track
Even though some people wanted horse racing to return and the track to be restored, the fair board decided not to change their plan. When the county started building a road across the track in 2005, a group called Save the Track Foundation tried to stop it with a lawsuit. They were not successful.
In November 2006, voters in Lewis and Clark County approved money for the fair board's plans. Even though parts of the track were blocked and torn down, the horse racing track itself was added to the National Register of Historic Places in December 2006.
The Save the Track Foundation filed more lawsuits in 2006. They said the fair board had not told voters that the track would be partly torn down. County officials said their plan saved most of the track for preservation. A judge ruled in favor of the county in 2008. This allowed construction of the new exhibition building to go forward.
About the Historic Track
The Montana State Fairgrounds Racetrack is located in the middle of the 160-acre (65 ha) fairgrounds. In its early days, it had grandstands, bleachers, a paddock, judging platforms, and stables. Later, speed barns and cottages were added. By 2006, none of these original historic buildings connected to the track remained.
In 2005, the Montana State Fairgrounds Racetrack was one of only three 1-mile (1.6 km) tracks west of the Mississippi River. In 2006, it was said to be the oldest of these 1-mile tracks. It was also the oldest horse racing track still existing in Montana. It was the only racing track built during Montana's territorial period (before it became a state) to still be around in the 21st century. Some reports even said it was the second oldest horse racing track of its kind in the entire nation.
