Historic Marker and Dedication at the former site of the Copperthite Racetrack

By Fred Hudson

Sunday July, 31 2016 there will be a Historic Marker and Dedication at the former site of the Copperthite Racetrack also known as the Burke Station Racetrack in Burke, Virginia. The former racetrack which was built in 1908 is now the site of the Burke Nursery and Garden Centre.   

The track was built by Henry Copperstite who at that time owned the largest pie company in the country and for that fact was known as the "King of Pie". The track conducted it's first harness race on July 4th 1908 and was considered one of the finest half mile tracks of it's day. One of the judges that day was William Miller who would later be the founder of Rosecroft Raceway. It had a grandstand that seated 2,000 spectators with a seventy five stalls each 12 x 12 that housed horses owned by President William McKinley, Jr. and Vice President Theodore Roosevelt.

At the dedication there will be a harness race demonstration by Betsy Brown and a question and answers segment conducted by Freddie Hudson along with fund raising efforts for the Standardbred Retirement Foundation.

The local Washington DC press will be covering the dedication and attending the event will be Politician's, Copperthite family members, Fairfax County History Commission and the Burke Historical Society.

Festivities start at 9:30 and include
Model T Ford auto show
Music by: "King Street Bluegrass"
Exhibition harness race with Betsy Brown
Period dress and reenactments
Harness racing Q & A with Freddie Hudson
Blacksmith display
Kid activities including USTA coloring books
SRF fund raising
Pies from the Copperthite Pie Company
and much more.

For more information please contact fh@rrtrotting.com