Geography Dept.The GARDEN CITY RACE TRACK was located at 55th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. GPS coordinates are: 41° 47' 49" N 87° 36' 21" W.This is a satellite view today of where the GARDEN CITY RACE TRACK might have stood back in the late 1850's. It is unclear if the course was on the East or West side of Cottage Grove Avenue.This Cook County plat from 1861 shows the exact location of the GARDEN CITY RACE TRACK. The plat does not have any street names, but we surmise that the line west of the track is South Cottage Grove Avenue.Headlines.On June 5th, 1855, a trotting match occurred on the GARDEN CITY course, which was located near Cottage Grove. The purse was $500, two-mile heats, best two in three in harness, the wagons weighing 250 pounds. The horse "O'Blennis" won from "Tom Hyer" in 6:24 and 6:19. At the same meeting the horse "Reindeer" won three straight heats from "Fanny Wood", best three in five, for a purse of $200. The best time was 2:45. At the same meeting "Chicago Maid" trotted against "Douglas" and won, the best time being 2:52.In May, 1856, the GARDEN CITY RACE COURSE on the lake front at Cottage Grove was thrown open for a week. The best time was about 2:34. Among the trotters were the following: "Reindeer", "Fanny Wood", "Lady Kate" and "Chautauqua Chief". The trots were usually in mile heats, best three in five, for a purse of $200. At this time the races were patronized by the wealthiest and most exclusive men and women of the city.In July, 1858, at the GARDEN CITY RACE COURSE at Cottage Grove, "Lady Kate" won a fast trotting race from "Ike Cook" and "Tom "Murray". The best time made was about 2:33 -- fast for that date.In August, 1858, at the GARDEN CITY RACE COURSE a trotting match of nine miles, for a purse of $1,000, was given. The black mare "Gypsy Queen" won from the horse "Tenbroeck". The nine miles were trotted in mile heats.On Ocober 7th, 1858, the mare "Flora Temple", then thirteen or fourteen years old, was advertised to trot against the Chicago horses "Reindeer" and "Ike Cook", best three in five, to harness. A few years before, "Flora Temple" had trotted a mile in harness on Long Island in 2:24 1/2. At that time it was the fastest mile that had ever been made in the United States. In the race here, though, she was probably "pulled." She easily defeated both "Reindeer" and "Ike Cook" in 2:32 1/2. The other horses apparently were not in her class.Several years before 1859 the trotting mare "Princess" was owned by Daniel Gage, of the Tremont House. In fact, Mr. Gage first developed her trotting qualities at the race course on the lake front at Cottage Grove (GARDEN CITY). He finally sold the mare for $200. She was taken East and in June, 1859, defeated "Flora Temple" at the famous race course on Long Island. Mr. Gage, upon learning the news, expressed regret that he had parted with the famous mare.In August, 1859, as high as $10,000 was advertised for a ten-mile race to be run in alternate mile heats at the BRIGHTON TROTTING PARK and the GARDEN CITY RACE COURSE. Two of the best horses in the contest were "Honest John" and "Louisa Uttley".In September, 1859, at the GARDEN CITY RACE COURSE, while the National fair was in progress at the BRIGHTON TROTTING PARK, "Flora Temple" and "Princess" trotted a match race. The best time was 2:31. The newspapers declared that the race was a fake and not trotted on its merits. "Flora Temple" was winner in the above time, but the newspapers declared she had been held in by her driver.In September, 1860, at the Cottage Grove park, the two horses "Ethan Allen" and "Prairie Boy" trotted for a purse of $500. The following day "Dracow", of New York, and "Prairie Boy" trotted for a purse of $300, three best in five. "Dracow" won, his best time being 2:35.-- Source: History of Cook County, Illinois. Goodspeed and Healy. |
History Dept.There is little known about the GARDEN CITY RACE TRACK other
than it was built by Henry Graves, opened in 1854, and that it stood somewhere near the
intersection of what is today E. 55th Street and Cottage Grove
Avenue in Chicago. Luckily, and with due diligence, the ITC was able
to find several stories about the events that took place at this
noble venue. Names of GREAT trotters of yesteryear are mentioned here and
there, painting a richer picture of the Chicago trotting scene than
was ever imagined.Memory Lane.Advertisments.Picture Gallery.Racing Results.
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