With Tanis Thorne and Vince Seck

When: Thursday, November 21st at 7:00 PM.

Where: The Sierra Presbyterian Church located at 175 Ridge Road, Nevada City.

For over a hundred years— from the 1850s to the 1950s — the Glenbrook Basin was the center of recreation for Nevada County, and indeed the region.  Glenbrook Park featured a world-class racetrack for horses, one mile in length and forty feet wide.  Horses from across the state raced here in the glory days in the 1880s and 1890s.  

“Once upon a time, there was a world-class racetrack there. And later a lake in the pines. There was an island in that lake and a dance pavilion on that island. On a summer’s night Japanese lanterns shone on a wooden bridge that led to the pavilion where moonlight dancing called in three-quarter time to the town nearby.”

Olympia Park, better known as Lake Olympia, was a popular resort featuring boating, swimming, music, dancing, and picnicking from 1901 to 1958. In its heyday, nationally known jazz and swing bands played at Lake Olympia’s island dance floor.  Glenbrook Park and Olympia Park were beloved places of entertainment as well as a source of pride for Nevada County residents. 

On Thursday, November 21st, Vince Seck and Tanis Thorne will do a presentation on their new book, Lake Olympia and Glenbrook Park: Recreation Between Gold Cities, 1851-1958.  Vince Seck’s family-owned Lake Olympia during the 1950s.  For decades Vince has been keeping the memory of the lake resort alive.  This richly illustrated book is based upon first-hand knowledge and newspaper articles.  Their newly published 160 page book with 211 photos and 21 maps will be for sale. 

Admission: FREE and open to the public, this event lasts one hour. Free refreshments offered after the presentation. For more information, call or text Daniel Ketcham at (530) 477-8056.