Geography Dept.The WASHINGTON PARK TROTTING CLUB stood between South Park (now Martin Luther King Dive) & South Cottage Grove Avenues at East 61st Street. GPS coordinates are: 41° 47' 03" N 87° 36' 39" W.This nicely detailed map from 1883 shows that the WASHINGTON PARK TROTTING CLUB One Mile Track stood between South Park (now Martin Luther King Dive) & South Cottage Grove Avenues at East 61st Street.This crude map from 1893, looking Westward from Lake Michigan, shows that the grandstand was erected on the south end of the racing grounds.This detailed map from the 1893 Columbian Exposition, indicates just how close the track was to the lakefront.Another map from 1893 shows Washington Park, the Columbian Exposition, and Oakwoods Cemetery.Picture Gallery.Racing Results.
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History Dept.Racing, both thoroughbred and standardbred, began here in 1884 and lasted until 1905.We know, after some in-depth research, that harness racing was conducted
here as far back as 1892, was present at the turn of the century in
1900, and that it lasted until the last season in 1905. What is
unknown, for now, is when the first harness race was ran.
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