After 110 years in operation, Rockingham Park in Salem closed in August. This weekend, James R St. Jean Auctioneers of Epping will auction off over 1,800 items from the park's storied past. Items on the list include benches with the park insignia, poles from the racing track, photos from the winners circle and roulette wheels.
Rockingham Park first opened on June 28, 1906 and it was the site of thoroughbred racing for over 100 years. During its heyday, it was a racing destination. Horses competing and stabling at the track include Seabiscuit, a popular thoroughbred who was the subject of a bestselling novel and Hollywood blockbuster movie.
It's fate has been in jeopardy for the past decade as live racing ended and fewer people came for simulcast racing. Millennium Gaming Inc. out of Nevada entered into an agreement to develop the park in 2005, but that deal hinged on the state Legislature allowing expanded gambling, which never happened. For more information about the auction, click here.
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