Dear Shelli’s Momma-
I once read (encyclopedia of AR, maybe) that there was once, early 1900s, a horse racing track in Saline County. Any idea where?
–Saddled Up in Salem.
Momma says:
Testing my limits so early in the game. I’m not that old, darlin’ to have been at that track.
I am sort of a history buff, but not that specifically. And don’t let this get around, but I’m from Southern Texas. Although I have lived in Arkansas most of my life.
I would guess that there were not that many cities in Saline County in 1900. I know that Benton was established by then. From movies, I have seen horses raced earlier in America in straight line rather than in an oval. It could have been East Street. But if you are looking for an oval area which it well could’ve been, there were no airplanes yet to need the airport area. I would assume that stinky horses would need to be outside of town for racing.
Tell you what, if you really need that answer, I’m gonna refer you to Steve Perdue at the SALINE COUNTY HISTORY & HERITAGE SOCIETY, INC. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~arschhs/
If you want to see copies of early census reports: http://www.argenweb.net/saline/census.html
There were more townships than I thought, looking before 1900 at the censuses.
I DO know where the Benton Speed Strip was:
Know where Pulaski Tech is in Alexander area? Well, their northeast parking lot served as the strip. I married a guy who’s fuel pump went out in the only race he ran there.