Research Frustration

[Dug D]

1895 map and 1937 map 

 

 

[Lost Scout]

23 hours ago, Dug D said:

1895 map and 1937 map 

 

 

Appreciate the the input but that is about 130 miles south of me.

[Lost Scout]

It's been raining all day. Didn't mean to but have spent about eight hours online and at the local library. I really appreciate anyone's and everyone's ideas but this is a very rural area and didn't have a full time resident until the 1880's. 

I have found out that a news paper was started here in 1905. The railroad came in and stopped a couple miles to the west in 1912. This caused most of the population to move. A clipping from another gost town in 1895 states that a race track was just completed in Meadows. All of two sentences. Then I found a book with two pictures of the crowd at the track but no good land marks or reference points. The old Ponderosa pines are all gone. 

But you can see the stands to the right. And the nature of the racing, no surrey's and how temporary it was.

Back to tracking down old timers. I know about where but different land owners on each side of the road that may have changed locations. One land owner lives in South Africa...sigh...

But I'm still trying.

 

 

[Digalicious]

Any chance of narrowing down the location by that hill in the background?

Not just from the hill itself, but the two cuts just above the two riders, as well as the hill that cuts in from the right and crosses those two hill lines.

[Lost Scout]

17 minutes ago, Digalicious said:

Any chance of narrowing down the location by that hill in the background?

Not just from the hill itself, but the two cuts just above the two riders, as well as the hill that cuts in from the right and crosses those two hill lines.

Yea. Just don't know the orientation of the track. Normally you would race turning to the left. The picture shows the riders coming in going north west. That would mean the track is across the highway from me. If they are going the other way then the bottom of the track is on my property. Can't tell from Historical Arieals ( most recent is 1936 ) or Google Earth. Irrigation and road changes have wiped out the diffinition. A few new houses have gone in but still a lot of pasture. I have the names of some of the descendants and I'm going to try and track them down but no one is answering the phone tonight. If I took a picture today the back ground would look the same but all of the big trees on the flat are gone.

[Dug D]

1911 map doesn't show a track, but I see a church location that might be worth checking out. 

[Lost Scout]

1 hour ago, Dug D said:

1911 map doesn't show a track, but I see a church location that might be worth checking out. 

You may be looking at the cemetery symbol to the north. There was a church next to the old school but it burnt down. Both on private ground . Haven't tried to chase those down yet.

I found a series of videos from 2004. Interviews with some old timers now gone. One of them talked about the track and said you used to able to see the outline in field. Mostly what I get is " my grandpa said the track was in or next to the grove of trees". The trees have died or been cut and aren't there anymore. I know about where but now need to track down permissions.

[TC-AZ]

Lost Scout,

The internet is a great tool but does not cover everything. The older USGS maps either paper or online are great. Yes, like others that responded, historical societies are another avenue of searching.

There is a territorial fair grounds in Albuquerque, NM that I've been to several times detecting.  it has been built up with houses here and there. I have to ask permission to detect there and I get some great finds.

Good luck in your search. It takes time so be patient.    TC-AZ 

[strick]

Are you sure the track was oval and not a straight track? just sayin..

strick

[Lost Scout]

I'm ninety percent sure I know where the start/ finish line is. I talked to a retired co worker. He grew up here. Didn't know about the track but he did know where the " old Campbell House" was. Still standing, drive by it all the time. He remembers the highway being adjusted/moved. When I showed him the picture of the race he agreed with me that it's gotta be the dead one still standing with no top in it. Parking on the side of the road I can line up the hill in the background just right.

So ... Now there are two houses. All that pasture and they built there. The track is between the tree and their front door. I'll ask on Sunday if I can detect around the tree. Fingers crossed.