"The sport of kings and antebellum Columbus gentlemen suffered some setbacks in the 1880's. Horse racing here took years to recover from post-war poverty and the seizure of the best breeding stock. For a time, racing tastes in Columbus had to be satisfied by old nags and gentlemen travelled to Montgomery to see the better bloodstock perform.
With the establishment of the Exposition Park in Columbus, however, the city soon attracted the best racing stock from the adjacent states and a good number of leading racehorses were quartered here for the winter. The races at the Exposition grounds were blessed by scores of elegantly dressed ladies. Later, gambling came to be regarded as offensive, and racecourses were outlawed. By the turn of the century racing in and around Columbus had fallen to the tame trotting contests of the fall fairs."
SOURCES: "Hon H.R. Goetchius Gives History of Area to Be Known as Golden Park," by H.R. Goetchius, 1920. Columbus Ledger – Enquirer. “Pleasures Simpler Back Then, But Taken Seriously,” John Coombs, Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, 1961. "Exposition Officers," July 15, 1888, Daily Enquirer - Sun.
(Editor's Note to set the stage...)
From what I've been able to gather from newspaper articles in the late 1880s to the later 1890s - the South Commons held a variety of activities and uses. It contained Exposition Park (horseracing, baseball, the Exposition buildings and fairgrounds, Bicycle track, Columbus Driving Association, and a gun club), along with the city hospital called "the Pest House," and a primary school for Black children. It was also adjacent to the cemetery for the Black citizens of Columbus.
The Exposition buildings were constructed and operational by 1888. However, by 1895, there are articles citing the rapid decay of the beautiful main building. In March of 1896, there was a petition of ministers to stop bicycle racing at Exposition Park and by 1897, the park had become rented farmland. By 1899, the city is selling the buildings.
This 1920 article by Henry Goetchius combines the history of the Exposition with his frustration at ten years passing of the re-acquisition of the South Commons (1910) by the city for permanent public entertainment uses - with nothing happening. It would be another five years before the construction of Memorial Stadium, a new baseball field, and the formal naming of the area as Golden Park.
As far back as the history of the town goes the area in the racetrack limits has been a pleasure ground. In 1888, Columbus held on these grounds and on the other grounds east of Fourth Avenue extending to the river, her greatest fair, called the Chattahoochee Valley Exposition. The city appropriated several thousand dollars to erect a main building, a machinery hall, and a grandstand, a restaurant, an office building, stables, cattle pens, and a perpetual racetrack. Those old sugar berry trees on the south road of the track were planted there about so many years ago, and the racetrack has been there since Columbus was a town.
The Chattahoochee Valley Exposition brought people here from all down the river valley and the fair was one of the finest investments Columbus ever made. Thousands upon thousands attended. The board of directors was made up of some of the best men in Columbus and they managed the great show, and it was a success.
The writer (H.R. Goetchius) was the president of the company, the mayor (D.P. Dozier) was the vice president, and F. B. Gordon was the secretary. The company paid all prizes and purses and many incidental expenses. After everything was paid about $100 was left. The directors allowed the president to use this to start a park and he invested in trees for the grounds, to be a nucleus for a grove for the city. Mr. George Findlater, one of our best citizens, brought 300 beautiful young trees from his place across the river and planted them there at the small cost of 33 1/3 cents apiece. Had those trees been allowed to remain as was intended they would have, after 30 years, afforded a splendid grove and an adornment for our park.
Commissioners of commons had this land in its care and the city got the board to permit all the lands south of the racetrack to be cultivated with the understanding that the trees would not be disturbed, but sad to say many of the trees were killed in that part of the grounds, and also within the racetrack, by plows running too close. Later many of the other trees were taken up and transplanted in the city but most of them died. So only a few scattered trees were left. Later the commissioners of the commons leased the track and grounds to the driving association provided it would build a grandstand and a ball diamond and keep up these and also plant trees around the track.
The plan worked well and the two hundred dollars rental per annum was for quite a time paid into the city treasury.
In 1910 Mr. T. E. Golden (pictured below), of the board of commissioners of commons, saw the need of this land for a permanent park, got the board and city council to agree to ask the legislature to pass an act enabling the commissioners of commons to set aside all the land east of Fourth Avenue and south of the cemetery, to be a park and pleasure ground for the people of Columbus, to be used for no other purpose. The language of the act is "That this land shall be kept open and used only for the purpose of a public park and playground and to be devoted to such amusement and pleasure as proper authorities of the city may designate and the land cannot be conveyed to anybody without the assent of two-thirds of the qualified voters of the city at a special election."
To use it as a farm or for other than a park or pleasure ground is directly against the law. This track, under the deed Mr. Golden procured to be made, has been set aside under a grant which is of record. Mr. Golden originated and pushed the idea and to him should only properly be paid the honor of calling this "Golden Park."
After this act in 1910 and the entry of the city in possession, it is unfortunate that the lands were not then laid off, and at least $200 ог $300 per annum was put on the park in improvements. This was not done but an effort has been made for years to use the land as a farm. Whether the experiment cost money or not is a matter of question, but the city has not lost her park ground and at last, she has quit farming and resolved to let this land be developed for the purpose intended, that is, a playground and place of amusement for our people. It is a happy conclusion of the matter to realize that the Kiwanians and Rotarians have taken it up and will push it to some conclusion. Нарру to that those young and optimistic citizens whose names appear as behind the movement are in favor of carrying out the ideas. Mr. Golden and the friends who supported him 10 years ago saw would prove a great blessing to our city. The people need this park. They should have it. It should be called Golden Park, and the plan ought to be speedily fixed for its development. A sum of only $200 per annum could be paid out for annual improvement. We have the land right here, in fee, to the city for a park. No other need be considered.
Let's develop what we have. Had the idea which was sought to be shaped up in 1888 been pushed by the city Columbus would now have a lovely park. Had Mr. Golden's plan been taken hold of in 1910, and the city appropriated a few hundred dollars annually, even with 10 years’ work, the park would now be a thing of beauty.
The track is there, and it can be made perfect with slight work. The stands are there. The ball diamond cannot be surpassed. The whole track is an ideal spot, The title to the public land west of Fourth Avenue is still in the trust of the Board of Commissioners of Commons. It is not probable that this body will set aside any of this for a park at least to show that the 100 acres already dedicated are utilized and that there is a need for more land.
The people of the city are to be congratulated that both of our city papers are backing the suggestion editorially. Let us hope something definite will come out of the movement Golden Park a reality. After all these years Columbus perhaps has aroused herself to this park question.
In this connection, it is interesting to read the names of the men who, in 1888, represented our people in evolving, managing, and successfully putting over the great exposition which did so much to start the city on a new road to progress and development.
Many of these men have passed away. Some of them were removed to other places and some are left to still help in the growth and progress of Columbus. The board of directors of this exposition were; Henry R. Goetchius president; Daniel P. Dozier, the mayor and vice president, deceased; Fred B. Gordon, G. Gunby Jordan, Samuel B. Hatcher, W.C. Bradley, Berthold Sternberg, Joseph S. Garrett, J.K. Orr (removed to Atlanta), and the following who are deceased, H.C. Hanson, Theo M. Foley, G. Mote Williams, Louis F. Garrard, L.A. Camp, E.H. Jenkins, J.M. Fletcher, and J.H. Gabriel.
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