I have heard of the harness racing museum hall of fame located at 240 Main Street in Goshen, New York, for many years but never had visited it before. I started to think of visiting this museum a couple of years back when researching one of my books about the history of Pearl River. I had noticed an ad placed in the Rockland County Journal at the turn of the 20th century which offered the stud services of a trotter named Astra, the sire of Little Wonder, both Nut Hambletonian winners that came to Pearl River. I decided that I would finally visit this museum. My wife and I decided to go up to Goshen, a once dilapidated town now experiencing a renaissance. The town is a small beautiful village with majestic churches, parks, a fountain, and war monuments. Wide streets and the sight were in 1779 Claudius Smith, the Torry, raider, and the cowboy of the Ramapo valley burned and destroyed patriot farms during the American Revolution. His skeleton was buried after his capture, hanging, and unceremonious burial. There is an 1841 courthouse with appropriate markers which tells his story. It seems that his skeleton was found that year during the building of the new courthouse. Legend has it that an old man identified the remains as Smiths as he was at the hanging. The skeletons of him and his men were displayed in a local butcher shop window. When the last of the brickwork was almost done the master mason took the skull of Smith and bricked it up over the door of the courthouse!
The harness racing museum building is a stately and impressive building as you enter and pay the 10.00 dollar fee to support the museum. You go on a trip through the history of this sport with original oil paintings and exhibits from the 1840s on. There is a short documentary show then you wander among the exhibits of sulkies and bronze horse statuettes. Upstairs there is an extensive display of Lifesize horse statues and the color statuettes of the famous jockeys ,trainers, sport announcers from racing and owners displayed behind glass. The artist is Beverly Lopez and yes his work is outstanding in its detail and realism. This museum mixes artistry with realism in an informative and impressive attempt to honor both man and animal who made harness racing a reality. The staff were knowledgeable and friendly when asked questions. A fellow named Craig ,a docent, went to research the horses I was looking for,but was unable to search them out in their database. There is a theater which takes you on a run around a quarter mile track where you are seated as in a roller coaster and a 3-D film with moving chairs makes you feel as if you were driving the Sulkey. I highly recommend this museum to visit because of its organization displays staff, and its presentation of a lesser known history of the Hudson highlands. Five oranges!
