This project was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian Made accessible through a grant from the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation and Photo Friends
Photograph was edited for publication purposes Santa Anita Racetrack, located at 285 W. Huntington Drive, is the oldest racetrack in Southern California. The 'first' Santa Anita Racetrack was built on Elias Jackson ("Lucky") Baldwin's immense estate of "Rancho Santa Anita" and opened on December 7, 1907, but closed just two years later when horse racing was banned in California. In 1933, Hollywood director Hal Roach and San Francisco dentist Dr. Charles Strub formed the Los Angeles Turf Club and raised funds to build a new track. Designed in an Art Deco style by Gordon B. Kaufman, the "new" Santa Anita Park opened December 25, 1934. In 1942, racing at Santa Anita was suspended and Santa Anita was used as a Japanese American internment center from 1942-1944. The park is one of eleven detention camps included on California Historic Landmark #934. A downhill turf course was added in 1953 and in the 1960s, major renovations included a much-expanded grandstand as well as additional seating. In 1974 the Westfield Santa Anita Mall was built on the site of the old barns and training track. In 2007 the park added a synthetic "cushion" track to the existing turf course. The Park contains 61 barns, which house more than 2,000 horses, and an equine hospital. Photograph caption dated February 23, 1965 reads, "President of the Valley Committee of the Spastic Children's League, Mrs. Ferdinand Mendenhall, Van Nuys, congratulates jockey William Harmatz, who rode winning horse in race named for league. Mrs. Melvin Erickson, chairman, looks on."; See images #00116781 through #00116786 for all photos in this series.
Type
image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;21 x 26 cm. Photographic prints
Santa Anita Park (Arcadia, Calif.) Racetracks (Horse racing)--California--Arcadia Horse racing--California--Arcadia Spectators--California--Arcadia Jockeys--California--Arcadia Women--California--Arcadia Men--California--Arcadia Handshaking--California--Arcadia Grandstands--California--Arcadia Arcadia (Calif.) Valley Times Collection photographs Strub, Charles Kaufmann, Gordon B Baldwin, Elias Jackson,1828-1909
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