The picture this month is of the gate sign for Newellhurst Farms. The sign belongs to the Kingston Historical Society.  Bill Reynolds, our founder, rescued and saved it.

Newellhurst Farms was located on the south shore and uplands of Appletree Cove. The uplands were forested with cedars that were harvested for their shingles. The Shingle Mill was located at the shore end of a dock extending into the cove (One can still see a large piece of concrete close to the shore at low tide).

After the cedar shakes were harvested and the mill closed, the uplands became a working farm.

George C. Newell was inducted into the Washington Racing Hall of Fame at Emerald Downs in July 2012. He began breeding thoroughbreds in 1938 and had his first winner in 1942.

A California-bred gelding named Collaborator, a gift from George to his wife Geraldine and raced under her ownership, won the Longacres Mile and Longacres Derby in 1958. He was the last horse to win both races in the same year. Only two other horses have won the mile during their second racing seasons.

George owned and operated Newellhurst Farms for many years. The farm also had a dairy herd at one time. A picture of the dairy barn can be found in “The Little City by the Sea.”

One of the men from the area remembered sneaking over the fences as a youth to ride the ponies and Brahmas; also living at Newellhurst.

A significant portion of the 100-plus acre Newellhurst Farms has been divided into building lots covered with houses, but there still are horse pastures and a beautiful large stable on part of the former farm.

The Kingston Historical Society meets in the Indianola Room of the Community Center on the fourth Wednesday at 10 a.m. from January through October.