Horseracing in Kutztown

The gentleman’s sport of competitive horse racing in eastern Berks County appears to date to the early 19th century, when,  according to the 1915 Centennial History of Kutztown, the George Schaeffer farm, just east of the Agway store (formerly the Crystal Bowl) in Maxatawny Twp., proximate to lands owned by the Hottenstein family, hosted a number of such events from the late 1820s through the early 1830s when it was the property of several sons of Philip Schaeffer, who, appropriately enough, is credited with manufacturing the first horse-powered threshing machine in Berks County. These sons included George, and afterwards a younger brother, David, who married Esther Anna Christ, a daughter of Solomon and Elisabeth (Bieber) Christ, and, in 1849, relocated to this farm, accounting for its appearance on the 1862 Bridgens’ Maxatawny Twp. map as the "Schaeffer & Christ" property. Later it was passed on to the couple’s son, James, a brother to the Rev. Nathan C. Schaeffer, later PA Superintendent of Public Instruction. A George Breyfogel was also associated with ownership at some point, though whether before or after the Schaeffers is uncertain.

Other sites associated with old-time Kutztown horse racing included the track on the land of Jacob "Daddy" Fisher (who died at age 99 in June 1890, after which ownership had passed by 1915 to Frank Schmeck), which also stood east of the borough behind Kemp’s (formerly Levan’s) Tavern on one of two adjacent Fisher homesteads now leveled beneath the Kutztown By-Pass, back in the days when Kemp Road ran continuously from the Bowers Road along the tavern’s east side and over the rise onto Eagle Point Road. These annual races were sponsored by the Kutztown Sporting Club, the membership of which probably included locals David Fister, David Levan, Jesse Overbeck, and Christian Cupp. Later, in the 1870s, horse racing also occurred along the Easton Road from the Roeller mansion (now the site of the Yoder apartments, 147-149 East Main) to the finish line at Kemp’s Hill on the edge of what came to be known as East Kutztown.

In the 20th century, of course, the "new" Kutztown Fairground became famous for horse racing after its track and grandstand were constructed in 1905. The track was said to be the fastest in the state, if not the entire Northeast, and numerous early records were established on its humble oval, catapulting annual events at the fair into major spectator draws.