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Don Boyd | all galleries >> Memories of Old Hialeah, Old Miami and Old South Florida Photo Galleries - largest non-Facebook collection on the internet >> Memories of Old HIALEAH, Florida - Historical Photo Galleries and Commentaries - click on image to view and read >> OLD HIALEAH PEOPLE - INDIVIDUALS and SMALL GROUPS Historical Photos Gallery - All Years - click on image to enter > 1950 - Brad King's mom at one of the Hialeah Race Track entrances
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1950 Courtesy of Brad King

1950 - Brad King's mom at one of the Hialeah Race Track entrances

Hialeah Race Track, Hialeah, Florida


Thank you to Brad King for contributing this image.


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KEN ERWIN 09-Dec-2008 23:20
YES THE HIALEAH RACE TRACK WAS A REAL BEAUTY . I LIVED DOWN THE STREET FROM IT ON EAST 1 ST. AVE . AND 13 ST. TRAFIC WOULD BACK UP ALL THE WAY TO MY HOUSE . ALL THE CARS WOULD THROW AWAY THEIR LOSING TICKETS . AS A YOUNG KID SEEING THESE TICKETS FASCINATED ME . I ALSO SOLD NEWSPAPERS TO THE LONG LINE OF CARS ON 21 ST. AND EAST 4 TH. AVE. KEN E.
Alford17-May-2008 07:15
I too lived at the edge of the track on East 30th and East 4th Avenue. Our small house was built in 1951 and remained in our family until sold in 1984. It has since been torn down. When I was a little girl, my best friend lived closer to 4th Avenue (I lived closer to 5th Avenue) and when we played in her yard (and for that matter, my yard too) you could hear Fred Capasella calling the races (at least I think it was Fred Capasella; I didn't know it was him until I was an adult) and as the horses made that final turn the crowd would get louder and louder and louder and then ----- nothing! Race over!

At times, you could see the flamingos fly over the track when they would "run" them between certain races. Just a clump of pink (I seem to recall some black on their wings too but could just be my memory) huffing it in a circle only to drop out of sight, presumably landing back in the center of the track where they lived. And they were noisy, too.

And yes, the traffic in our neighborhood was a mess because a lot of people avoided paying for parking in the big lots on 32nd Street and would park in our neighborhood. I think there was also an underground tunnel that lead to the track from the lot and also a jitney or cart that people could catch to drive them into the track from the lot.

Anyway, during racing season we always had trouble with people parking in front of our drive way and often had their cars towed away.

I recall also the general "excitement" in the air, in the street, the movement, the people, the discarded Hialeah Park programs, the torn up tickets during the season - and how very nice and quiet and suburban once the season ended!
Don Boyd08-May-2008 01:02
Gail, that's an excellent point. The entire race track's grounds were manicured to perfection as you say, with beautiful blooming flowers everywhere and trees galore. I thought it was just as nice if not nicer than Vizcaya's grounds. Local folks took visitors from up north there, even if they didn't bet on the horses, just to see the magnificence of the track and the gardens. It was a beautiful oasis in the heart of a haphazardly built city with poor zoning practices.

I read another comment yesterday in a different gallery about the traffic that was backed up for miles around the track during the racing season. I had almost forgotten about that. Local folks were smart to avoid the area of the track during the season because driving past it on Palm, E. 4th Avenue, E. 32nd Street or E. 21st Street could add another 30 minutes to your trip if you in the area after the last race of the day.

Don
Gail Kennedy 07-May-2008 21:07
Lived right down the street from the track from 1951-1963. I remember that every tree, bush, flower, etc was manicured to perfection. Almost like our present Disney World. What a shame!!! I remember all the beautiful parrots they used to have in one part of the park And, of course, those beautiful pink flamingos. When we would visit the park in off season I remember how peaceful and beautiful it was. It was like a different world from what it was outside the gates,
JD 19-Aug-2007 17:28
That looks like the east 4th avenue and 22nd street entrance called clubhouse drive which led to the clubhouse. There's a big giant ficus tree around the bend. What a beautiful place that was. I almost ran off the road one day when I was driving down palm avenue and looked over and seen that all the stables were torn down. sad sad.