Product Details
| Company |
North Hudson Driving Park Association
|
| Certificate Type |
Capital Stock
|
| Date Issued |
July 10, 1890
|
| Canceled |
Yes |
| Printer |
H. D. Gertz, Printer
|
| Signatures |
Hand signed
|
|
Approximate Size
|
10 1/2" (w) by 7" (h)
|
Product Images
|
Show the exact certificate you will receive |
|
Authentic
|
Yes
|
| Additional Details |
Signed by Lawrence Fagan
|
Historical Context
The North Hudson Driving Park Association was incorporated in New Jersey on March 29, 1885. The company operated a horse track midway between West Hoboken and Weehawken. First races were held in August of 1885. The association's offices were located in Hoboken.
The North Hudson Driving Park Association also originally developed a 71-acre lot in North Bergen that ran between Bergenline Avenue and Third Avenue as a trotting cours - a half mile track (known as the Guttenberg Race Track) in which casual competition could take place.
When the state of New York outlawed racing in 1885, New Yorkers were forced to find a new place to pursue their gambling needs. They soon found a place at the Guttenberg Race Track, which was purchased by the Hudson County Jockey Club, a group comprised of both Hudson County and New York horse racing enthusiasts.
The Jockey Club renovated the facility and expanded the track to a mile. Its doors were open to the public in 1889.
Related Collections
Lawrence Fagan
Lawrence Fagan was born on New Year's Day, January 1, 1851 in Dublin, Ireland and emigrated to the United States with his parents as a child. After being educated in public schools, Fagan became a blacksmith's apprentice. In 1872, Fagan partnered with Issac Mansfield to form Architectural Iron Works, a manufacturing company which provided structural and decorative iron. He served as a volunteer fireman, and became interested in politics.
Fagan was a co-founder and part owner of the Hoboken Observer newspaper in 1893, which later became the Hudson Observer.
Fagan first entered politics as the Democratic candidate for the NJ House of Assembly in 1888. His opponent was William Letts. During his first term, he was a member of the committees on ways and means, municipal corporations, unfinished businesses, State Library, and Soldier's Home. Fagan was part of a movement to divide Hudson county into two parts, naming the southern half "Hamilton County" after Alexander Hamilton. He was re-elected in both 1889 and 1890.
On April 1, 1893, Lawrence Fagan was elected the mayor of Hoboken, having received 3,463 of the 6,123 total votes. His opponent was John H. Tangemann. Fagan was elected in April 1893 as a reform candidate against the Hudson County political machine known as the "Ring." He was re-elected in 1895, 1897, and 1899. He did not run again for several years, having re-entered politics to campaign for Hoboken Mayor again. He lost to Republican Opponent George Gonzales, giving him his first political defeat.
