Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection open for research.

Use Restrictions

Visual materials may require special handling.

Preferred Citation

Brooks Equestrian Photograph Collection (VC 0051), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA.

Acquisition Information

Linda Brooks, Leesburg, VA

Accruals

2011.0265

Processing Information

Lisa Dezarn 29 March 2013

Historical Information

Horseracing was a popular amusement in Charles Town, West Virginia as early as 1786, and September 1808 issue of Farmer's Repository notified the public of three horseracing events the following month. Financed by private donations and club subscription fees, the sport flourished throughout the 19th century. The Shenandoah Valley Jockey Club, the first race track in the state, opened on 2 December 1933 in Charles Town shortly after West Virginia legalized racing and betting. The first two years proved financially unsuccessful. Convinced that promoting the race track during the winter season to residents in Washington and Baltimore would yield success, Albert J. Boyle (d. 1957) invested $160,000 in the venture, rechristening the organization as the Charles Town Jockey Club. His prediction proved correct, the business thrived, and Boyle remained a prominent figure in West Virginia racing.

Seeing the financial rewards possible, a newly formed group of investors purchased property across the road to construct a second race track. The group encountered resistance from churches opposed to gambling and the Charles Town Jockey Club, which wished to maintain its monopoly. After a contentious election, voters approved the new track by a narrow margin of 357 votes. Considerable litigation resulted in a decision by the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals that allowed construction to continue. The new track, known as Shenandoah Downs opened in 1959. For two decades, the tracks competed for prime racing dates from the West Virginia Racing Commission. The rivalry ended in 1972 when the Shenandoah Corporation, owner of Shenandoah Downs, purchased the Charles Town Race Track. From that point forward year-round racing continued at Charles Town Rack Track while the Shenandoah Downs operated as a training track.

Scope and Content

This collection contains twenty-six oversized photographs of equestrian competitions representing races at both the Charles Town Race Track and the Shenandoah Downs. Many of the items are mounted. The earliest dated photograph from 1932 was taken one year prior to West Virginia's legalization of the sport.

Arrangement

Folder

Related Material

None

Adjunct Descriptive Data

Bibliography

Bushong, Millard Kessler. A History of Jefferson County, West Virginia. 1941. Reprint, Bowie: Heritage Books, Inc., 2002.

Bushong, Millard Kessler. Historic Jefferson County. Boyce, VA: Carr Publishing Co., 1972.

Nations, Jeff. "Charles Town Celebrates 75 Years." The Journal, December 25, 2008. http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/513766.html

"Shenandoah Downs," The West Virginia Encyclopedia, last modified October 29 2010, accessed February 22, 2013, http://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/387

Theriault, William D. "Charles Town Races," The West Virginia Encyclopedia, accessed February 22, 2013, http://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/1088

---

Other Finding Aid

Past Perfect Catalog records

---

Technical Requirements

None