Bermuda Valley Farm
Schulenburg, Fayette County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Site of noted race track (50 yards N) laid out 1889 by Dr. I. E. Clark, State Senator and physician who owned this farm. Although he had planned a 1/2-mile oval track, the course he traced (free style) in his buggy measured 5/8 mile. Later it was graded, using mule-drawn "Fresnos" (old-fashioned scoops for moving earth). The track was chartered 1894 by the state for the Schulenburg Livestock and Fair Association. Famous horses ran here in its heyday. Here, too, Clark and son Harvey bred 2 of Texas' most famous horses "Orb" and "My Dandy." Cars later raced here.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In 1889 Dr. I. E. Clark, a state senator and physician, traced out a racetrack on his farm by driving his buggy free-style across the ground — a plan for a half-mile oval that came out at five-eighths of a mile. Graded by mule-drawn scoops and chartered in 1894 for the Schulenburg fair association, the track drew famous horses in its heyday, and Clark and his son bred two of Texas's best-known runners here. In later years, automobiles took their turn on the same course.
Why it matters
Rural racetracks and fair associations were centerpieces of community life in Gilded Age Texas, blending agriculture, sport, and local pride long before organized professional sports.
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Related people
- · I. E. Clark
- · Harvey Clark
Themes & tags
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