San Pablo Dog Track

Photo: Bay Cities Coursing Park in San Pablo, Calif. [1923]

Photo of owners and dogs (Photographer- Walter A. Scott, SF photographer); Caption: Bay Cities Coursing Park, San Pablo, Calif. - Enclosed Park; W P Kyne, Pres; G. W. Heintz, Sec |:|  Hounds L to R: 1-Big Bob; 2-(Imp) John O'Groats; 3-(Imp) Garreyowen (J.T. McCarthy); 4-(Imp) Prairie Rover; 5-Bluest Blue Bill; 6-Skookum Jr.; 7-Blended Bourbon??; 8-Prince Eugene; 9-Martlow Jr. --- Judge: Jack Sullivan; Slipper: James "Jim" Grace

In its early days, the town of San Pablo had a number of "Speakeasies" that sold bootleg liquor and provided nightclub entertainment, like most of the local towns of that era. However, during the 1920s, San Pablo had another form of entertainment, its own dog racing track. Known then as the Bay Cities Coursing Park, it was a popular local attraction. Unfortunately for the wives, the San Pablo dog track was located directly across the street from St. Paul's Catholic Church, so it was easy for the men folk to slip away and catch a race or two. Based on several news articles, the San Pablo dog track was known by many names and had several changes in management and many different owners throughout its lifetime: Coursing Park Club House aka the Central California Coursing Club; Contra Costa Coursing Club; and the San Pablo Coursing Club Park are some examples. Because not much is known about this dog track, and there isn't any information about it online, like other Bay Area dog tracks whose information is publicly available, many never knew it even existed. However, having access to paid sites like Newspapers and Ancestry, several news items can be found. Also, thanks to the San Pablo Museum archives, they have photos of the dogs at the track which they have graciously shared.

The track opened in September 1921 on a portion of property once owned by Freeman Decator Butts [1878-1957] and his wife, Elizabeth Dover Emeric Moitoza [1874-1926]. Elizabeth inherited the property from the *Henry F. Emeric estate and offered several acres to the city for $35,000. Some old directory listings of the early 1900s indicate Mr. Butt's residence was at the "end of Butts Lane" in San Pablo (1921).

Although there isn't a known map listing Butts Lane, there are old maps that list the other street names in reference to his residence mentioned in the early directories. Some indicate it was at the foot or end of Market Avenue (1911) or at the foot of Clay Street (1913), while another lists it as "s s Mkt 2 e of 25th/Hyde" meaning, the south side of Market 2 blocks east of 26th and Hyde (1916). Most residences are listed this way since they didn't have a specific numbered address sometimes, being the only house on the block. I have looked on numerous maps of that era and have yet to find a street with the name "Butts Lane." Why all the concern on the location of the Butts residence? Well, it is my belief that this clubhouse, which was adjacent to the dog track, may be the same structure as today's Rockefeller Lodge. To me, that would indicate the location of "Butts Lane" was the small entrance/driveway into today's Rockefeller Lodge at the foot of Market Avenue, and today's Rockefeller Lodge was near the location of "The famous Butts Mansion" that was home to the Bay Cities Coursing Club as mentioned in an article of April 1922. If so, I may have uncovered some unknown or forgotten history of Rockefeller Lodge. *Remember, the Emeric mansion and estate is now home to the Salesians.

The track was a success for several years but came to a close when the Humane Society of Richmond placed a ban on the use of live rabbits in racing at this track (article attached). The main reason for this was because live rabbits were used to prompt the hounds to speed around the racetrack. Usually the rabbits escaped; sometimes they didn't. When one of the hounds caught them, that ended the poor bunny. That fact alone prevented dog racing from becoming universally popular.

"Then came the invention of the "mechanical" rabbit running on a track propelled by an electric motor. The fact that the hounds follow by sight instead of scent enabled this change" as one article in the Oakland Tribune mentions. And, although one dog track at Emeryville had already employed the newly introduced mechanical rabbit in 1919/1920, there isn't anything news-wise to indicate the San Pablo track continued to operate beyond 1928. I can just imagine the Bunnies of America cheering that January in 1928. The year of the Rabbit? ~History Rox

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