290 The Story of The Bronx 



the city authorities cutting streets through it. During its 

 existence as a race-track, the property was known as Fleet- 

 wood Park, Morrisania. It lay between Webster and Sher- 

 man avenues on the east and west, and extended from East 

 165th Street to East 167th Street. Fleetwood was devoted 

 to the distinctively American sport of trotting. Mr. Robert 

 Bonner had his stables not far from the track, and the famous 

 "cracks" of a generation ago, Dexter and Maud S. and many 

 others did their turns about the Fleetwood track. The old 

 park has been cut up into streets and building lots to supply 

 the demands of an ever increasing population. 



Soon after the close of the Civil War, in 1866, the Bathgate 

 farm was acquired by the Jerome Park Villa Site Improve- 

 ment Company, but the American Jockey Club soon became 

 the lessee and laid out a track for racing purposes. The prop- 

 erty lay in the town of West Farms, in the ancient manor of 

 Fordham; and the site is now occupied by the Jerome Park 

 distributing reservoir. The track was started by Leonard W. 

 Jerome, William R. Travers, S. L. M. Barlow, and others 

 for the purpose of lifting American racing from the disrepute 

 into which it had fallen on account of the trickery and rowdy- 

 ism which had hitherto accompanied it. In this attempt at 

 reform, the Jockey Club was eminently successful, as the 

 respectability of American racing since that time proves. 



Morris Park race-track was the last one within the Borough. 

 On May 19, 1888, Eliza Macomb conveyed 152 acres, between 

 Bronxdale and Westchester, to John A. Morris. The northern 

 end of the property included a portion of the Bear Swamp, 

 whose outlet, Downing's Brook, finds its way into the Bronx 

 River. The Bear Swamp Road and the Westchester and 

 Williamsbridge Road constitute the principal boundaries of 

 the track. The Westchester Racing Association graded the 



