Kendall's 1920s Photo Albums
According to Leah Grandy, “Harness racing in the Maritimes and New England in the nineteeth century demonstrated the social and economic cohesion of the region and helped to solidify group and personal identities” (2013, 95). When Portland, Maine photographer Guy Kendall began his career as a race track photographer, “The sport of harness racing…exemplified the ideals of progress, speed, and efficiency…” (2013 Grandy, p. 97).
Kendall’s growth as a race track photographer can be appreciated as one compares his early remote, static documentary photos of horses and drivers to the images he captured in the 1930s. As he became a regular on the race circuit, it is possible to see his work become more fluid and natural as he stated to capture the energy and excitement of the horses in action.
In this decade, as throughout this collection, the viewer can shadow Kendall’s travels through the race track score cards preserved in his albums. By clicking on the event titles one may read a brief abstract describing the race event(s). At the bottom of each page, a preview of each scanned score card is available to the user. By following the linked names of race horses, one may view the photographs taken of those animals by Kendall, most often at the event(s) noted on the score cards and programs.
Source
Grandy, Leah. (2013). “Yankees” and “Bluenosers” at the Races: Harness Racing, Group Identity, and the Creation of a Maine-New Brunswick Sporting Region, 1870-1930. Maine History, 47(1), 95-110.
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Eva Tango
Owner: I. W. Pottle
Driver: Unknown
Race: Pine Tree Circuit Races, Maine State Fair Grounds, Lewiston, Maine -
Fay S.
Owner: H. M. Day
Driver: H. Day
Race: Cumberland County Fair 2.22 Trot and Pace--Cumberland County Owned -
Frank deForest
Owner: Norman A. Smith & Wood
Driver: Unknown
Race: Oxford County Fair 2.18 Pacing Stake -
George Harvester
Owner: James Hennessy
Driver: Carney
Race: Pine Tree Circuit Races, 2:14 Trot, Maine State Fair Grounds, Lewiston, Maine -
Hallie Archdale — McWilliams up
Owner: I. R. Morrill
Driver: McWilliams
Race: Oxford County Fair 2.30 Trotting Stake -
Ino Stanley — Fox up
Owner: C. H. Woodman
Driver: Frank P. Fox
Race: Cumberland County Fair 2.15 Pace -
Jack Gratton
Owner: Alton Richardson — Dr. F.A. Bragdon
Driver: Evans
Race: Cumberland County Fair 2.18 Trot and Pace
