When we have spare moments, we like to spend time on opensfhistory.org, the ever-growing, fascinating treasure trove gallery of historic photos of San Francisco, curated and managed by the nonprofit Western Neighborhoods Project.
There’s so much to see on the site but one of our favorite groupings of photos depicts what would have been the largest recreation complex in the Richmond District in the late 1800’s – The Bay District Race Track.
The race track was 60-acres in size, one-mile around and was located between First Avenue (Arguello) and Fifth Avenue, and Fulton Street and Point Lobos Road (Geary) in the southeast corner of today’s inner Richmond neighborhood.
The track opened in September, 1874 and just a couple of months later was offering a $25,000 prize to the winner in their “Great Race” – the largest purse ever offered in America.
The track was known primarily for running harness races but within a few years, the racing venue was on the decline.
“There were several factors, one of which was the surrounding hills which frequently had more spectators than were inside the track. Another problem was difficult access. It took longer to reach the Richmond District course than the new Oakland track, a short ferry boat ride from downtown San Francisco,” according to an article on outsidelands.org.
The race track had also attracted a lot of upfront financing before its opening, but as annual dues stopped being paid, maintenance and upkeep on the 60 acre parcel fell by the wayside.
But in 1890, a new owner, Thomas Williams, brought it back from the brink and introduced thoroughbred racing to Bay District Track. “These horses were the runners, the racers, the epitome of horseflesh that gave their all over single races between a half mile and 1 mile.” Races were usually held for a week or two every several months.
In 1893, east coast horsemen brought their horses to San Francisco for the winter season, which meant for the first time, thoroughbred racing was available five days a week, all year round.
Horse racing aficionados loved it, but the nearby residents? Not so much. Especially because of the raucous saloons on Fulton and Fifth Avenues that attracted visitors, known as “Beer Town”.
Ultimately the Bay District Track closed in 1896, as owner Williams bent to the pressure of neighbors, the Board of Supervisors, and a competing horse track in Ingleside that ciphened off his business.
Not long after, in the summer of 1898, the track had one last hurrah when the United States Army established Camp Merritt on its grounds to house as many as 7,000 troops who were waiting to ship out to the Philippines for the Spanish-American War.
Sarah B.
Great bit of history!