From Dave "Sure Thing" Brigham:
Suffolk Downs, a horse racing track built in 1935 that straddles East Boston and Revere, Mass., has been on life support for years. The facility's death warrant was signed by new owner HYM Investment Group, which announced plans to develop the site after wrapping its acquisition last year. HYM is also pitching the site as a second headquarters for Amazon.
In the meantime, Suffolk will host its final slate of races this summer, and continues to offer simulcast races from other tracks around the country. Track operator Sterling Suffolk Racecourse LLC recently announced a plan to conduct racing at the Great Barrington Fairgrounds in Western Mass. next year. For photos of the long-abandoned fairgrounds, see February 20, 2011, "Lose, Place or Show."
I never gambled at Suffolk Downs, or any other horse track. I went to the venue many years ago to see a Radiohead concert. I've traveled near the track numerous times over the years of riding the subway with my son, Owen (see July 27, 2011, "Look, Up On the Restaurant"). I decided that, since the track would soon be demolished and replaced with shiny, new things, he and I should check it out. And so we did one recent day.
I was pleasantly surprised that before we got to the track, we spotted some tracks.
These tracks are left over from the Suffolk Downs Loop, according to this article at Boston Streetcars (scroll down). The loop, presumably, brought folks from Boston to the track, and back again. This area also featured the Gladstone Loop, which was used to park and turn around streetcars, and additional tracks that continued to Revere Beach, per the article.
Pretty cool, eh?
I didn't realize how close Suffolk Downs is to the Blue line train station, and how close I'd be able to get for a few photos.
Stay tuned for more photos as this property moves into its next life phase.
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