HARWINTON’S
RACE TRACK
Roger P. Plaskett
Harwinton Town Historian
Photo courtesy of The Torrington Historical
Society
On July 4, 1899, a racetrack
opened within our boundaries in Harwinton that was second
to none in the area. When it opened it was called “Murphy
Park” and had a huge grandstand that could seat
3,000 people, a horse stable capable of holding 40 horses
and even some amusements such as a merry-go-round.
So why haven’t we heard
much about it? Where was it located? Why did it close?
The questions are many. Once
the researching of this short-lived facility began,
the story of the man who built it became as interesting
as the park itself.
James McLeod Murphy, most often
referred to, as “Captain Murphy” was a combination
of electrical engineer, inventive genius and artist.
Unfortunately the artistic part was more towards being
a con artist then doing anything picturesque, but he
certainly was creative.
In the late 1800s, Murphy appeared
in Torrington boasting of nearly unlimited wealth and
a long list of schemes that were guaranteed to make
rich men out of anyone willing to invest just a few
hundred dollars worth of faith in his plans. He sold
himself to the local people by stating that “he
came from good old Knickerbocker stock and that his
ancestors included a former mayor of New York City and,
on his mother’s side, an ancestral link to the
Queen of Sheba. This self-presentation allowed him access
to the most prominent men in the area. He claimed to
be the “Father of the New York Life Saving Service”
a title that he seemed to value nearly as much as “Father
of the Country”. Supporting his claim he always
carried around a New York newspaper clipping, that he
shared with anyone who would listen. The Torrington
Newspaper, “Evening Register”, reported
that the clipping read:
“At a public
exhibition at Old French’s Hotel, April 14, 1883,
some 15,000 people witnessed Captain Murphy climb a
seven story structure carrying a scaling ladder weighing
thirty-two pounds, a life belt, five pounds, and life
line, three pounds, climbing from sill to sill, transferring
the ladder from story to story, making the assent in
two and a half minutes, and the descent in one and a
half minutes. In his ten years of service he beat the
world’s record in life saving and made a record
never since equaled.”
To validate the authenticity of this account, Captain
Murphy stated, “I wrote it myself and my word
is as good as my bond.”
The Captain was highly enthusiastic
about his “Safety Third Rail System”. This
was an invention that would revolutionize the Trolley
car systems by eliminating the need for the overhead
electrical wires. Many inventors had attempted to devise
a system but could not solve the problem of having a
“hot rail” in the middle of the street.
Murphy’s system incorporated a middle rail that
was only charged as the car passed directly over it.
He sold the City of New York on the idea of installing
a two-mile long trial line at Manhattan Beach. The company
that controlled the invention had $1,000,000 in reported
capital. This was divided into 10,000 shares of common
and preferred stock at $100 a share and the company
became incorporated in New York. Murphy wined and dined
a number of local businessmen and even paid for their
travel to New York to witness the Manhattan line.
Back in Torrington, Murphy would
promote the fact that his factory for producing this
new system would be built in Torrington. There was a
report of an establishment of the Torrington - Hartford
Tramway Co., which a good number of local people invested
in by purchasing stock from its executive secretary
whose name was Mr. J. McLeod Murphy.
As a way of thanking the city
for investing in his endeavors, “Torrington’s
hero” built Murphy Park for their enjoyment. It
was a magnificent park where Torrington’s dog
pound and sewage disposal plant are now located. The
track was a half-mile oval with a massive 200-foot long
clubhouse and immense stables. It sprung up about as
fast as the beautiful fountain, located at the entrance
of the park, would spray water into the concrete pool
surrounding it. Murphy claimed to own a merry-go-round
that was currently at Coney Island and promised to bring
it to his park. A merry-go-round was installed near
the entrance gate so maybe he really did own one. It
is reported that there was a baseball diamond located
in the center of the track’s infield, along with
tennis courts and refreshment booths. Billiard rooms,
a bowling alley complex and other amusements were planned.
Murphy also claimed to own a “Shoot-the-chutes”
ride, also located at Coney Island. He promised that
it would also be brought here. Shooting galleries, maybe
a scenic railway, all were in the plans for this attraction
designed to bring many patrons into the local area.
There were also plans for a large hotel, to be built
just across the street (Bogue Road) on a Harwinton farm.
The foundation was actually built, with three massive
wine cellars but it never rose beyond that. Until the
early 1970's, the staircase leading up the hillside
could still be seen. The stairs were later moved into
the woods. The farmhouse burned to the ground in 1987and
the stairs were reused when the new house was erected
on the site in 2003.
The Club-House
Photo courtesy
of The Torrington Historical Society
