Franklin Park (race track)
| Location | Saugus, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42°26′26″N 71°0′19″W / 42.44056°N 71.00528°WCoordinates: 42°26′26″N 71°0′19″W / 42.44056°N 71.00528°W |
| Date opened | 1859 |
| Date closed | 1905 |
| Course type | Harness |
Franklin Park also known as the Franklin Trotting Park, Franklin Driving Park, Old Saugus Race Course, and the Old Saugus Race Track was an American Harness racing track located in Saugus, Massachusetts.
Franklin Park opened in 1859 on the Boyton Estate. It consisted of a one-mile track, new stables, and a hotel. It was constructed at an expense of $50,000.
After sitting idle for almost a decade, Franklin Park was reopened by a group from Lynn, Massachusetts in 1884. That year a stable containing 100 15 by 12 box stalls, a judge's stand, and a new hotel were erected. Three years later, the track was renovated and a grandstand and a number of new stalls were built. The track was renovated again in 1889 when it was taken over O.S. Roberts. Less than a year later, Franklin Park was purchased by eighteen of Roberts's creditors, who formed a syndicate called the Franklin Association of Lynn. It was later purchased by the Brighton Beach Racing Association, owner of Brighton Beach Race Course. The BBRA leased out Franklin Park to local managers.
Although the track attracted many affluent citizens, it also attracted some seedier elements. In 1898 the New England Society for the Suppression of Vice alleged that illegal gambling activities were taking place at Franklin Park. In 1905, the race track closed after local citizens complained about the questionable patrons that the racetrack attracted. Races that were to be held in Saugus in 1906 were moved to Albany, New York.
After it closed, the race track was used to host fairs, field days, picnics, motorcycle races, bonfires, and circuses and the hotel became a private residence. Due to its remote location, Franklin Park was frequently used as a dumping ground.
In 1911 the property became an airfield and was used by pioneer aviators Harry Atwood,Ruth Bancroft Law, and Lincoln J. Beachey.
In 1932 the track reopened as an auto racing facility. It closed the following year.
After Massachusetts legalized pari-mutuel wagering in 1934, a group of area businessmen and government officials led by Henry A. B. Peckham, John J. Mullen, Charles Friend, Harold Dodge, Frederick Willis, William Landergan, and James E. McElroy attempted to bring horse racing back to the site. Mullen even arranged a meeting with his friend Governor Joseph B. Ely in an attempt to get his assistance. Ely refused to express any opinion on the matter and stated that the matter was for the Racing Commission to decide.
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