Harlem Race Track

Harlem Race Track Grandstand, 1901

The Harlem Race Track, managed by the Harlem Jockey Club, was a horse racing track located in the Village of Harlem, Illinois (currently Forest Park, Illinois) between Collier Avenue (currently 16th Street) and 12th St. (currently Roosevelt Road), and between W. 74th (currently Hannah Avenue) and W 76th (currently Lathrop Avenue).[1]

The track was built by a syndicate led by George Hankins in 1894, and it was scheduled to open for the 1895 horse racing season.[2] Because there was a public outcry against all gambling, the track did not open as scheduled, and it lay dormant at great expense to the investors.[2] On July 3, 1897, the track was sold by the Chicago Fair Grounds Association, by President William Martin, to attorney William H. Allen for $150,000. Allen leased the 80 acre property to James Anglin who appointed John Condon general manager, and Martin Nathanson as secretary.[2] The lease eventually went to Condon, but he decided to discontinue his association with the track when his lease expired on February 1, 1899.[3] Despite Condon's retirement, it was speculated that he remained in control of Harlem, and the course secretary, Martin Nathanson, announced that the 1899 racing program would begin on May 30.[4] A fire at the track on May 22, 1899, believed to be caused by "incendiaries," destroyed the grandstand and fencing. A temporary grandstand was quickly built so that racing season could still open on time, and construction of a new permanent grandstand of steel and stone was planned.[5]

In early May 1900 John Condon appears to have gained complete control of the Harlem race track, despite his earlier announcement of his retirement from the business.[6] This enabled Condon to become sole owner of the track by purchasing it outright from lawyer P. J. Ryan for $180,000.[7] The lightning from an intense rainstorm killed a horse in the stables at the track, knocked the stable boy attending the horse unconscious for an hour, and also shocked Condon and track official William Miers.[8]

From 1899 to 1904 the Lake Street Elevated Railroad offered express excursion service to the track via the Cuyler Avenue Shuttle.[9][10]

As of 2021, the area which the horsetrack was on is now occupied by the Chicago Bulk Mail Center and the eastern part of the Forest Park Plaza.

  1. ^ Chicago Rapid Transit Map (Map). c. 1:25,000. Rand McNally & Co. c. 1914. G4104-C6P33-1914-R35-S. Retrieved 2018-07-31.
  2. ^ a b c "Harlem Opens July 14". Chicago Daily Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. July 7, 1897. p. 4.
  3. ^ "Harlem Track "To Let"". Chicago Daily Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. March 1, 1899. p. 4.
  4. ^ "Harlem To Open May 30". Chicago Daily Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. May 6, 1899. p. 7.
  5. ^ "Lay Blaze To Incendiaries". Chicago Daily Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. March 1, 1899. p. 7.
  6. ^ "O'Leary To Leave Harlem". Chicago Daily Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. May 4, 1900. p. 4.
  7. ^ "Condon Gets Harlem Racetrack". Chicago Daily Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. June 26, 1899. p. 9.
  8. ^ "Deluge Comes With Lightning". Chicago Daily Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. June 1, 1901. p. 1.
  9. ^ Lake Street Elevated (1888-1924) Chicago-L.org Retrieved June 6, 2007
  10. ^ Lake Street Express Operations Chicago-L.org Retrieved June 6, 2007