Wisconsin History Day By Day

Related Web Sites:

Read More About It

"The Golden Age of Wisconsin Auto Racing" by Dale Grubba

Vocabulary:

horsepower

speedway

continuously

Interesting Fact:

Horses and cars shared the track for races until 1954, at which time the track was paved.

Study Questions:

How many cars were involved in the first race in 1903? What was the average speed of the winning car?

What were some of the problems or challenges for a track that had both auto and horse racing?

What are the major auto race tracks in Wisconsin today? Who are some of the well-known race drivers from Wisconsin?

U.S. historical events that occurred on September 11:

2001: Terrorists fly jetliners into the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

1857: Mormon settlers kill around 120 pioneers during the Mountain Meadows Massacre.

September 11

September 11, 1903: The first auto race on a track in the country was held on Sept. 11, 1903, in the Milwaukee area. William Jones, driving a 30 horsepower Columbia, won the five-mile race. The track, now known as the Milwaukee Mile and located on the grounds of State Fair Park, is the oldest continuously operating motor speedway in the world. Built around 1876, the track was originally used for training and racing horses.

Wisconsin History Day By Day homepage January - December calendar page