Long Island's Hidden Past: Bobsled Huntington

For 100 years an important object from Huntington's history hung in an old barn. With archive digging, detective work and a little bit of luck, Huntington historians put the pieces together! Historians

News 12 Staff

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Feb 3, 2016, 3:00 PM

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Updated 3,152 days ago

For 100 years an important object from Huntington's history hung in an old barn.

With archive digging, detective work and a little bit of luck, Huntington historians put the pieces together!

Historians recognized the object as the bobsled "Huntington," which raced in the Winter Carnivals held in the village in the early 1900s.

At the time, it is estimated that 4,000 people attended the races.

Prizes were given in two categories - to the sled that went the fastest and the one that went the greater distance. The first prize was $10 and the second was $5.

The sleds could carry as many as 25 people on them, and could go as fast as 60 mph.

But the racing wasn't always fun and games. In 1920, a girl sled - the Greyhound - got into a serious accident. They crashed into a tree, but no one was killed. The accident put an end to the races.