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The race track was not closed suddenly. Local interest in horse racing gradually lessened. The track was finally abandoned. I was born in 1907. I was old enough to remember one of the last celebrations at the track. A motorcycle race was a special event at that celebration. I remember the racers going west on the north side of the track. Several of them could not turn at the northwest corner and crashed through the barrier. No one was seriously injured. However, it was a spectacular accident.
To locate the site of the Norton race track in 1956, go to the intersection of Main Street. and Center Street. Proceed south on Center Street to the third intersection. Then turn west and travel to the end of the street. The race track was located on the Norton land bordering Zearing at that point.
We know that the race track was abandoned prior to 1919.
The first Zearing park commissioners were elected at a special municipal election held on October 24, 1911. Roy J. Pulley said that when he moved to Zearing in 1913, the trees had been moved into the new park. Although we can not prove it, we think that the evidence points to 1912 as the year the Zearing Park was established.
The land for the Zearing Park was donated by David M. Gogerty for park purposes only. The park is located on east Main Street in Zearing.
Joseph Johnson was the leading park booster in our community. He had a lot to do with the establishment of the Zearing Park.
In this picture you are looking west on the south side of the Norton Race Track. The tower on the right in the picture was used by the officials during the races. Picture was furnished for this history by Harry LeFevre.