Blackie (American horse)
37°53′47″N 122°29′22″W / 37.8963°N 122.4895°WBlackie was an American horse who became locally famous in Tiburon, California, for standing in the same spot in his pasture for 28 years. After his death, a statue of the horse was erected in a park called Blackie's Pasture.
Life
[edit]The recorded history of Blackie's early life is limited. According to his owners, brothers John and Anthony Connell (also called Anthony L. O’Connell in articles), Blackie, a black horse, arrived in California in 1926 or 1927, reportedly from Kansas, and was used as a cutting horse in rodeos.[1] Some sources claim that after his rodeo career, he was acquired by the U.S. Cavalry and served in Yosemite Valley.[2] As part of a bet in 1938, Blackie swam across the Golden Gate (from Marin to San Francisco) in 23 minutes and 15 seconds, a feat documented in a short film.
Connell put Blackie out in what would become his "famous" pasture at the corner of Tiburon Boulevard and Trestle Glen Road around 1938. The horse soon became a familiar sight standing in his favorite spot and was reportedly fed apples and carrots by local children. In 1965, Tiburon Town Council approved plans for Tiburon Boulevard to be re-routed through Blackie's pasture. However, residents convinced the town council to preserve the pasture. When the road was built, John Connell and Blackie attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony.[1]
Death and legacy
[edit]Blackie died on February 27, 1966, after collapsing the previous day. The Marin County Health Department approved his burial in his pasture. A plaque was installed at the grave with a dedication ceremony where a local teenager described Blackie as "a special horse, a children's horse."[1][3]
The Tiburon Peninsula Foundation erected the life-size bronze statue of Blackie by artist Albert Guibara in Blackie's Pasture in 1995.[1]
In 2006, a children's book, Blackie, the Horse Who Stood Still, was published by an imprint of Random House. It was written by Christopher Cerf and illustrated by Paige Peterson.[3][4]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Fletcher, Scott (2019-10-14). "Marin history: Blackie and his pasture". Marin Independent Journal. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
- ^ Wood, Jim (2018-09-13). "The Real Blackie of Tiburon: The Story Behind Blackie's Pasture". Marin Magazine. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
- ^ a b McMahon, Regan (2006-09-27). "Tiburon's beloved Blackie is galloping again in a new book". SFGATE. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
- ^ Polito, Rick (2006-09-26). "Marin Independent Journal - New book, party honor Blackie - a Tiburon icon". Archived from the original on 2007-09-26. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
Further reading
[edit]- Staats, Jim (2007-04-17). "Blackie and Seabiscuit side by side". Marin Independent Journal. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
External links
[edit]- The Trestle and Blackie's Pasture: historical markers at Blackie's Pasture