Narragansett Race Track - Slow Fade

Slow Fade

Still, a slow decline in the 1950s led to a last gasp in the 1960s. "Go 'Gansett" was the slogan, but fewer people did. New England, without a breeding industry, relied on horses from elsewhere and the quality of horseracing throughout the area dropped. One last poignant moment occurred in early 1968. The beloved Charlie Boy, a 13 year old gelding owned and trained by William W. Carroll, was put down due to complications from an injury. During his 11 year career of 241 races, Charlie Boy won 58 times, one of the highest totals in racing history, and a number of them were at 'Gansett. On February 7, Charlie Boy was buried in the Narragansett Park infield, the only horse so honored.

On Monday, March 22, 1976, a spectacular fire destroyed Barns E + D. Each of the original barns was 350 feet long by 50 feet wide and stocked with hay. Eyewitnesses said that flames shot 100 feet into the nighttime air. It was determined that 38 thoroughbreds perished in the disaster.(AP) Track management had pointed to the 15 years of declining betting handle for lack of site improvements and finally the facility closed following the 1978 Labor Day weekend. By that time Narragansett Park was over a half million dollars in arrears for back taxes. The following year, the city of Pawtucket bought the site for commercial and residential redevelopment. The majority of the property was bulldozed and turned into a business park. Eventually, Hasbro built a facility - the Playskool Division - on what was once Narragansett's backstretch and, previously, an airport landing strip.