Former Dearborn Heights horse track? [Dahlinger Estate]

[wilderness]

Somebody mentioned ForgottenMich which may be accessed through Archive.org, however I'm not sure how effective.

I was unable to locate any references to Dahlinger quaickly.

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://...enMichigan.com

[wilderness]

When I visited the Benson Ford Research Center in 2008 I was provided with a copy of John Cote Dahlinger's book.

Although I did not read the book in its entirety, I quickly drew the conclusion that it was NOT written under the pretense of providing credibility and recognition to his family, rather was focused upon sensationalism and hogwash. And I'll explain why!

Evangiline and Ray Dahlinger were actively involved in their horses, one or both was doing some sort of chores with the horses daily.

Yet the Dahlinger son provided less than three lines text regarding horses in the book. A subject that one would tend to believe that a "respectful" son would provide some detail on something so near to each of his parents hearts.

The solitary mention of horses in the book was a 1951 betting coup at Northville Downs in which the winning horse paid $201 for each $2 wagered. Somebody supposedly handed the Dahlinger son $90 worth of Win Tickets on the winning horse [[Dahlinger owned) as a gift. Or just over $9000. I can assure you [[and perhaps may be able to prove my point with some published pari-mutuel handles from that time) that under the "plot" of a coup, the $90 were not the only tickets cashed by the plotters, furthermore, that amount of money wagered would dwindled the then small pools at Northville Downs and maid the actual pay-off 1/10 or less than the supposed $201 for 2 payoff.

[wilderness]

In the 20's, 30's and early 40's [[and so many years before) it was an accepted practice to have hidden ownership in racing horses.

It was even an accepted practice to list "another" as the actual trainer of record when that trainer was not the trainer at all. In some instance this practice continues today and the term used with the racing industry is "beard".

I've references that say the Dahlinger horses were trained by Ray Dahlinger, an fact, I'm aware of [[ and have reference to) four trainers that he used from the 1920's through the 1950's.

In two instances of 1928 and in print, one horse [[Unknown document title.Hal McKinney) was listed in one instance as being owned by Edsel Ford and in another instance [[same time period) as owned by Rah Dahlinger.

It's not unusual for a horseman to act as agent for an owner, and then later transfer the horse into the owners name. In this instance the sale result reported "Edsel Ford".

The real problem in verifying any association between the two is quite difficult because much of the material on Edsel Ford remains protected by the family. Dahlinger was much, much more than chaufeer or bodyguard to Henry Ford. Dahlinger himself in 1943 referred to same as a "Ford Associate".
I've a three page document that was provided to me at the Benson Ford Research Center. The document was originally created from materials at the old Ford Rotunda. It gives a brief description [[much of it quoted from Dahlinger) of his career and functions at FoMoCo.

Dahlinger, Evangline and their association with the Ford Family presents a fascinating subject, unfortunately, not much is verifiable.

Now I'm going to add some more supposing!

I've a 1928 reference that says Ray Dahlinger was training horses at the "Edsel Ford Farm" in Dearborn and I'm wondering if what later became the Dahlinger home and property was originally Edsel Ford's Farm?
The folks at Benson Ford Research are without any documentation as to which Dearborn farm was being referred to or stable racing horses. The Center did tell that the Ford Family had more than 300 farms in southern Michigan.

I'm guessing with the references and photo's that you folks have provided [[including the photo of Evangeline driving a horse) that these properties are one in the same.

[wilderness]

This a reply I sent to one of the researchers at BFRC a few days after my visit. [[it should be noted that harness racing periodicals were then and today quite inconsistent when naming people. In some instacnes it was "Ray Dahlinger" and in other instances [[even by the same writer) it was "R. C. Dahlinger.))

Many thanks as well for relaying my thanks to the staff.

My reason for visiting the BFRC was to explore any affiliation between Ray
Dahlinger and Edsel Ford in harness racing. In addition, I was hoping to
determine the present day location of the former Edsel Ford Farm property in
Dearborn.

In the past fifty years [[approximate) it's been a sort of rumor that Mr.
Dahlinger was a front-man in harness racing for the Ford Family.
The following reference from the Oct 18, 1928 "Trotter & Pacer" magazine
and Fort Miami [[Toledo)
summary.
Was the first documented "verified" in print that I've seen.

Hal McKinney, owned by Ray Dahlinger, who superintends the farm of Edsel
Ford at Dearborn, Mich., where there is a well-equipped half-mile track for
matinee racing which is a weekly feature during the season, was not figured
by the talent in the speculation on the 2:11 pace for which Trampsmug was
favorite. He was much the best, however, setting the pace in the first two
heats with the first choice the contender in the first and Becky Beall in
the second, the miles in 2:061/2 and 2:061/4 with the last quarters in
:293/4. In the final Worthy Lord set the pace and made it faster than in the
previous miles, the half in 1:03 and the three quarters in 1:351/2, then Hal
McKinney came on and won in 2:051/4. The time was not exceptionally fast; it
was not a day for fast time, but the way he did it and the class of horses
he was beating made Hal McKinney look like a real high-class pacing gelding.
end of quote

The visit was not able to provide my answers, however the fragments I left
the facility with allowed to expand the searches within my own accumulated
data [[references below) and surmise that Mr. Dahlinger was never actually
involved in Standardbreds and harness racing, at least not "hands-on".
It's been a practice to list others as trainers when in fact another was
the actual trainer of record and this was the instance with the Dahlinger
[[and likely any Ford Family Standardbreds racing under his name) horses.

The July 19, 1928 [[immediate below and from the same publication) is "in
conflict" with the Oct 18 release, however it's entirely possible that Mr.
Dahlinger purchased the horse as an agent [[a common practice) for Edsel Ford
and Mr. Ford declined the purchase.

--------------------------------------------
7/19/1928; Neighs and Nickers
Edsel Ford of the Ford Motor Co. has bought the pacing gelding, Hal McKinney
2:09, by Drusus, from Ed Lytle of Fredericksburg, Ohio.
-----------------

The following two excerpts from the "Harness Horse" magazine.
-------------------
7/1/36 North Randall Notes
Jim Piper, who trains for Ray Dahlinger, Dearborn, Mich., shipped Jimmy
Bumpas 2:031/2 over to let him stretch himself on the mile oval, and the
large gelding reeled off a couple of trips in 2:05 very handily, his younger
brother, Kent Bumpas 3, 2:03, won last week at Lexington, Ky.
-------------------

1/20/37 Harness Horse
James Piper, Dearborn, Mich., has just purchased of Delvin Miller, Avella,
Pa., three prospective 1937 campaigners, the trio consisting of Dickerson 2,
2:211/2 [[brother of Whisper 2:091/2 and Tempe Volo 3, 2:10 and half-brother
of Adviser 2:051/2), by Volo Peter 2:05; Tea [[half-sister of Coffee
2:033/4), by Volo Peter 2:05; and Simpson, a brother of Sybil Volo 3, 2: 11.
He will prepare them over the Henry Ford Farm oval for later activities over
Michigan tracks.
--------------
I also have an online obituary of James Piper from the Harness Horse
magazine:
http://www.mi-harness.com/SBreds/Memor82.html#Piper

-------------------------------------------
Additional notes added today:
A longtime Ohio horseman reminded me of Mel Stine's association with Ray
Dahlinger horses.
The following from my archives;

This excerpt from the Sep 7, 1949 Harness Horse and Northville Downs:

Thursday brought the Birthday Pace and Hodgen, but it also brought a $1,800
classified pace which went to Ensign John, the fast improving four-year-old
Guy Abbey pacer owned by R. C. Dahlinger of Dearborn, Mich. Mel Stine drove
Ensign John to a double victory, winning the mile in a thrilling four-horse
photo in 2:091/5 and taking the mile and a sixteenth in 2:162/5. Noble
Hanover, driven by Tommy Winn, was second in both dashes.?
-----------------------------------
from Aug 31, 1949 Harness Horse and Northville:
A $2,000 junior Free-for-All Pace on Wednesday night was split, Sam Hy and
Prince Yakima finishing one-two at a mile and reversing the order at a mile
and a sixteenth. Sam Hy, owned by Wes Litt of Stratford, Ont., and driven by
Harold Wellwood, now has 11 victories and five seconds in 17 starts this
season. Mel Stine drove Prince Yakima for Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Dahlinger of
Dearborn, Mich.
-----------------------------

In one of the books that the staff brought me, "The Secret Life of Henry
Ford" by John Cote Dahlinger, there was a mere two paragraph reference
regarding Ray Dahlinger's horses [[the comments are a bit absurd and I'm not
sure why the son included them as they offer no real insight into his
father's [[Dahlinger) fascination with the horses) and the reference was
regarding the high payoff at the pari-mutuel windows in 1950.
The two references above from the 1949 Harness Horse issues would have
clarified that Mel Stine was the trainer of-record on Mr. Dahlinger's
horses, even though Stine may not have be listed so in the printed programs
available to the general public.

In closing, I'm not all that sure the information that I've provided is of
any benefit to BFRC or the Ford Museum.
There may be place for it somewhere and perhaps you may point in on that
journey?

Many thanks.

--------------------------------------------------
I was provided by another with a google reference to a sulky of the famous
horse [[Nancy Hanks) that was donated to the Ford Museum in the following
quote [[an online book):

http://www.google.com/search?q=dahli...&start=20&sa=N

pg. #90

Bike Sulky



According to legend, the famed horse "Nancy Hanks" was hitched to this sulky
when she trotted a mile in 2:04 minutes in Terre Haute, Indiana on September
28, 1893. Lending some credence to the legend is the probability that the
sully was built around 1893; moreover, with its bicycle-like wheels, it does
bear a striking resemblance to the "bike" sulky that Nancy Hanks ran that
day.

A plate on the rear of the sulky's caned seat reads: "A. Bedford,
Coldwater, Michigan." Alma Bedford, a manufacturer of carriages and
bicycles, was one of the first to build a bike sulky. The conventional
high-wheeled sulkies were difficult to maneuver in turns, and drivers were
delighted with the new vehicles, which allowed them to perch high over small
wheels that had ball bearings as well as pneumatic tires.

Although the date of the gift is not recorded, the sulky was donated by
Raymond C. Dahlinger and his wife, Evangeline, a well-known Michigan
horsewoman, were on Henry Ford's private payroll. The Dahlingers had their
own race track in Dearborn, and though Henry Ford himself took no interest
in horse racing, he did encourage Evangeline to teach equestrainship at his
Greenfield Village schools.

[wilderness]

No response?
No questions?
Quite surprising.

BTW there was a book and made-for-TV movie which I saw a few months ago.
Cliff Robertson starred as Henry Ford, "Ford the Man and His Machine". In many ways the movie was close to factual, however in other ways it lacked detail. The movie provides Ford grabbing Dahlinger off the assembly line.

Here's some links
IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093039/

DVD
http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=6856278

Movie [[Part I ONLY) on Hulu:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/4224/total...-dreams-part-1

Book
http://www.amazon.com/Ford-Men-Machi.../dp/0316511668

[gnome]

Wilderness, I wouldn't take people's silence as an afront but rather as a reaction to your carpet-bombing of hard facts and really arcane information. I surmise your shock and awe posts dumbed everyone to silence.

Or, to mix metaphors, you threw left bower, the right bower, the ace and king.

Since you seem to know all about horses and Ford, what do you know about Haven Hill?

[wilderness]

Since you seem to know all about horses and Ford, what do you know about Haven Hill?

Many thanks gnome.

Nary a reference to Haven Hill.in my dataset.

Perhaps if you expand a little, it may bring forth more material?

[wilderness]

I've another Dearborn reference which folks here may find interesting?

In 2002, I made a trip to the Burton Society to primarily gather information on the Grosse Pointe Track, and in the process, stumbled across an 1874 Freep reference to the Springwell's Driving Park [[mentioned in the early GP thread).
[br] I'm unable to determine how to use the BB Code to iinsert line breaks, the help files were NOT any help[/br]
[br]
Last year I visited the Dearborn Historical Society and looked at some old Platt Maps of the Northwest Corner of Ford and Miller Roads where this track was once located.
[br]
Those folks at the Dearborn Historical [[McFadden House) were without any previous references to the Springwell's Driving Park, however they did provide that the same area was once an light industrial zoning and had lumbers yards and other similar business.
[br]
There may be some more references at Burton to the former Springwell's Driving Park, however I suspect the track was long gone by 1900.

[wilderness]

LDoolan,
Loved those old discolored photo's you've provided.
[br]
Is there any chance you could provide me with a larger pixel image of Evangeline and the horse on the track?

[wilderness]

Here's a brief item on Haven Hill hoping the BB Code functions.

[LDoolan]

LDoolan,
Loved those old discolored photo's you've provided.
[br]
Is there any chance you could provide me with a larger pixel image of Evangeline and the horse on the track?

I'll scan them tonight for you. The photos aren't discolored, I think it had to do with the backlighting.

The horse info you posted is interesting, The Dahlinger estate and history is one I've been trying to collect info on for years now.

Do you know anything about the 300 acre horse farm the Dahlinger's owned in Romeo?

[LDoolan]

BTW there was a book and made-for-TV movie which I saw a few months ago.
Cliff Robertson starred as Henry Ford, "Ford the Man and His Machine". In many ways the movie was close to factual, however in other ways it lacked detail. The movie provides Ford grabbing Dahlinger off the assembly line.

Actually that is true.

Next time I get to the Ford Archives, I'm going to look up Dahlinger and see if his reminisces have been collected like they have for so many other Ford executives.

[wilderness]

I'll scan them tonight for you. The photos aren't discolored, I think it had to do with the backlighting.

The horse info you posted is interesting, The Dahlinger estate and history is one I've been trying to collect info on for years now.

Do you know anything about the 300 acre horse farm the Dahlinger's owned in Romeo?

I'm sure this is more than you desire to read, however there is some mention of the Romeo property and Dahlinger in this article

[wilderness]

Actually that is true.

Next time I get to the Ford Archives, I'm going to look up Dahlinger and see if his reminisces have been collected like they have for so many other Ford executives.

I notified Linda at the BFRC of this thread and she said she/they would add this material/thread to the Centers "Vertical file collection" on Dahlinger. Also notified the folks at Dearborn/McFadden, however I don't expect to hear from them. BFRC will provide a copy of the 3-page document from Ford Rotunda, however they willing provided that it was only for my personal used and asked to agree not to pass on or add to any websites.

[wilderness]

For the non-horsey folks [[which I'm sure is the majority here) my focus [[flavor) is Standardbreds and the horses that race while pulling a sulky with a driver. [[There's a recent GP thread that is really about the 1890 Detroit Fair and Exposition) which provides some photo's of the OLD high-wheel sulky's that were outdated after 1892, along with the implementation of pneumatic tires and wheel-bearings, however the reinsman still sat just as high in the air. There was another design change in the 1905-10 were the reinsman sat lower than horses back-end to reduce the wind resistance and also to change the center of gravity of weight of the bike and driver and lessen the load on the horse.
[br]
If Dahlinger or the Ford's were involved in T-Bred [[jockeys on their back and not my "flavor"), I would not be aware of have any references to those horses and/or racing.

[szla]

About 35 years ago I had just bought a canoe and was going down the Rouge from the park on Ann Arbor Trail to Ford Road in Hines Park. Just north of Ford Road we were astonished to find a dock on the river on the east side. We pulled over and went up the bank which was very steep and were surprised to find a very large nice house which was still occupied. Over the next couple weeks we found our way in through the subdivion. This sat in my memory bank till the time the "illegitemate son " made the claims in the paper or book. When my friend who I canoed with read the newspaper article he called and we laughed and both wondered if the dock was still there. The dock was still in pretty good shape then.Is it still there? Anyone know?

[jackie5275]

No response?
No questions?
Quite surprising.

Wilderness, I didn't respond because I just now got the chance to read your posts. I don't understand the purpose of them other than to support your theory that John Dahlinger isn't Ford's illegitimate son because he didn't write enough about his parents love for & involvment in horses & horse racing. Is this the theory you're trying to prove in these posts?

[One4Detroit]

Movie [[Part I ONLY) on Hulu:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/4224/total...-dreams-part-1

I think this link is wrong. It shows a movie about mars

[wilderness]

Wilderness, I didn't respond because I just now got the chance to read your posts. I don't understand the purpose of them other than to support your theory that John Dahlinger isn't Ford's illegitimate son because he didn't write enough about his parents love for & involvment in horses & horse racing. Is this the theory you're trying to prove in these posts?

jackie,

The "sensationalism" of the John Cote book is a secondary issue for me and my primary reason for mentioning the solitary horse excerpt was in negating any credibility to the entire book, at least from my point-of-view, others may find credibility there.

The very first response by myself and via a link to another site, explained that my initial goal was two-fold?

1) Verify a link [[association) between horses [[Standardbreds) owned by any members of the Ford Family and Ray Dahlinger.

2) Determine the location of the then 1928 reference to "the Edsel Ford Farm".

[wilderness]

I think this link is wrong. It shows a movie about mars

My apologies.

Having seen the movie twice, I did not view the link, which even though uses a description of the Ford Book is actually a movie about Mars. Searched Hulu without success for a valid link.

[K-slice]

Me and the GF are down around there for spring break right now. Is it worth it to and check the place out? Seems like other people have.
I watch these forums often but don't post much, try to follow Detroit history as much as possable.

[MikeM]

Is it worth it to and check the place out? Seems like other people have.

No, it's not. It looks abandoned but property records indicate that it is occupied. The owner lists this property as his address on the tax roll as does the phone book. He doesn't need a bunch of kids tromping his grounds, and you probably don't need to be arrested for trespassing.

I started the thread out of curiosity wondering if the track was part of the Fairlane estate or the Dearborn CC. The property looks neglected from the air but recent aerial photos show vehicles parked there. I thought maybe it fell into the hands of the city or was part of park land along the river. Once I saw Lowell's photos and found the tax info I realized it was someone's residence. Maybe it's a work in progress but please stay off the property.

[metroddame]

I really want to live in the rooms and listen to my children frolick in this amazing estate. I also would really like the money to restore this lovely estate. I would just really like money - in a very non-selfish, and just at the bare minimum to survive in an estate like this kind of way!

[GPguy]

I have seen the former Dahlinger compound in Lexington. It is a very nice piece of property. The owners told me that all of the hardware was made at Greenfield Village. There is a windmill on the property with a Ford Triplane propeller.

There is the main lodge, a guest house, beach house and tennis court with a shelter and fireplace.

[LDoolan]

I have seen the former Dahlinger compound in Lexington. It is a very nice piece of property. The owners told me that all of the hardware was made at Greenfield Village. There is a windmill on the property with a Ford Triplane propeller.

There is the main lodge, a guest house, beach house and tennis court with a shelter and fireplace.

Sounds very interesting!! Seems like the property is well maintained based on your post....