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Volume 043-4 (October 2024) (10 pages)
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Page: of 10
the early years it offered other forms of entertainment
and competitions that were popular at the time. The
park went through a succession of owners. Gradually
improvements were made over
the years, and it became a first
class racetrack. Its reputation
was responsible for attracting
the owners of some of the best
racehorses in the state to race at
Glenbrook, drawing large crowds.
Ironically mining was
still being conducted on the
eastern side of the basin near
the racetrack. Mining ditches
cut across the track and in 1862
a company of miners sued the
track owner J. B. Jeffrey in
district court. Jeffrey won, but in
1871 Peter Ismert bought out the
racetrack mining claims of Shaw
and Company.
The Glenbrook Jockey Club
was first formed in 1854 and was
reorganized several times in 1863, 1865 and again in
1867 and was instrumental in promoting horse racing
at the Glenbrook track. The club’s purpose was to
promote horse racing at the Glenbrook track. The club
consisted of about one hundred racing enthusiasts and
those men whom desired a first-class, local racetrack.
Resident and mine owner William Watt served as
president of the Glenbrook Jockey Club in the 1860s
and Watt and his brothers, William, David, and Robert,
jointly owned Watt Park—better known as the
Nevada County Fairgrounds today.
A Sacramento newspaper described a five-day
spring meet in mid-June in 1865. “The reputation of
Glenbrook Park, as a race ground, has been established
as one of the best in the state”.
Horseracing languished in the early 1870s and the
popularity of picnicking increased in popularity in the
Glenbrook Basin.
From 1912 to 1914 the then owner of Lake
Olympia and Glenbrook Park Howard Brewer
installed lights over the picnic tables and added a
shooting gallery and merry-go-round to the park
as well as a slide and sandbox to the children’s
playground. He also rebuilt the bridge to the “island”
which was in the middle of the lake, to align it more
properly with the veranda of the office/concession
building for the increased convenience of the patrons.
In addition he undertook road
work that was necessitated by the
%, increasing automobile traffic. The
= (Grass Valley) Union newspaper
published an article on May 7,
1914 “...There is no more popular
and more frequented place at
the foot of the Sierras than the
Olympic resort...”
Many organizations,
companies, clubs and fraternal
groups booked their annual
picnics for both local groups
and from out-of-area, including
numerous groups from large
cities such as Sacramento and San
Francisco. “In the early 1920s
those wishing to rent tents or
cabins needed reservations far
in advance, so popular was the
venue.” Many groups had to be turned down due to the
park being completely booked.
I predict that Seck and Thorne’s new book Lake
Olympia and Glenbrook Park will be a local history
best seller. It is well written, highly engaging and on an
important part of Nevada County’s history that has not
been revealed.
ee Olympia
NG ‘ poaTin
swIMMING
NG ON THE Bere
OLYMPIANS
: nday
Society Books for Sale
Web: https://nevadacountyhistory.org/store/
Email: [email protected]
© Nevada County Historical Society Page 5 4th Quarter, Oct 2024