Rockingham Park facts for kids
.jpg)
Rockingham Park was a famous place in Salem, New Hampshire, where horse racing took place. It had a track that was about 1 mile long. Many well-known horses raced there. For example, Seabiscuit, a very famous horse, competed at Rockingham Park in 1935 and 1936. Another special horse, Mom's Command, won her very first race there in 1984.
Contents
The Story of Rockingham Park
Early Days of Racing
Rockingham Park first opened its doors for horse racing on June 28, 1906. For 21 days, many people, even from far away, came to watch the races. Over 10,000 visitors thought it was "the finest racecourse in the world." Even though a horse named Alyth won the first race, betting was against the law in New Hampshire back then. The track closed for five years after that first event. However, these early races started a long history for this important New England landmark.
More Than Just a Race Track
During the times when horse racing wasn't happening, Rockingham Park was used for other exciting things. In 1911, it hosted the first aviation meet in northern New England. A pilot named Lieutenant Milling even set a new altitude record, flying his biplane 1,600 feet high!
During World War I, the track became a camp for soldiers. The 14th United States Army Corps of Engineers used it as a place for soldiers to stay before they traveled to France.
New Hampshire Sweepstakes and Important Races
In 1964, the New Hampshire Lottery started, and its special "Sweepstakes" race was held at Rockingham Park until 1967. This race returned in 1984, becoming a main event of the summer racing season.
A sad event happened in 1973. A local jockey named Henry Wajda was hurt during a race at Rockingham Park. He later passed away, reminding everyone of the dangers in horse racing.
Challenges and Changes
On July 29, 1980, a big fire destroyed the main grandstand building at the track. This meant Rockingham Park had to close again until May 26, 1984.
In 1991, a large shopping center called The Mall at Rockingham Park was built next to the racetrack. Even though they were neighbors, the mall and the track were separate businesses.
Rockingham Park also offered other types of gaming and showed races from other tracks on screens. The very last live horse race at the track happened in 2009. Rockingham Park officially closed its doors for good on August 31, 2016. The land was then sold and the racetrack buildings were taken down in 2017. Today, the area is part of a new development called Tuscan Village.
Motorized Racing at the Park
Rockingham Park wasn't just for horses; it also hosted exciting motorized races! On July 4, 1925, a car race was held where cars drove 100 miles at an average speed of 76.8 miles per hour. Motorcycle races were also very popular.
Because these events were so successful, a special 1.25-mile long "board track" was built. This track was made of wood. In 1925, during practice for a car race, a mechanic was sadly injured. On August 21, 1926, a motorcycle rider named M. L. "Curly" Fredericks set a record for the fastest speed on a board track, reaching 120.3 miles per hour! In 1928, the track held the final national motorcycle championships ever raced on a board track.
After the wooden track was removed, the dirt track was used again. In 1929, car races on the dirt track drew huge crowds, with 45,000 and 52,000 people attending on Labor Day and Columbus Day.
