Welcome to the Atlas of American Racetracks!  The site is a compilation of maps for each state in the U.S. documenting where all the horse racetracks in the country are or have been.   At the end of the project, the entire map of the United States will be complete.

I started the site because I am interested in the history of horse racing in the U.S. and what kind of presence and influence racetracks have in our cultural and built environment.  I put them on a map because I love maps and because  it makes understanding the spread and influence of the sport easier and more effective.  I hope you will be intrigued and I hope that if you have knowledge and photos to add to the project, you will!

I will try to add a map for one state per month, so keep an eye on the site to see what’s next…

Be sure to look at the Methodology page if you are interested in what sources I used to identify track locations and find maps and photographs of the tracks.\

About me:  My name is Lara, and I’m a librarian who loves maps, history, architecture, and horse racing.  My favorite racehorse is Zenyatta, and my favorite track is Belmont Park.