Over 150 years ago, residents of the
village of Bainbridge coined the name "jockeyport" in reference to
South Bainbridge, an agricultural society known for its horse
traders and horse races. (In 1857, South Bainbridge seceded from
Bainbridge, and formed the village of Afton.)
"Particularly important was South Bainbridge's complaint that it was being deprived of its fair share of public offices because the town meetings and elections were held in Bainbridge village. To meet the complaint and allay the increasing bitterness, it was agreed in the early 1850's to hold town elections alternately in the two villages, giving all of the offices to citizens of South Bainbridge when the elections were held here. This eased the situation only temporarily. Resentment grew anew as people in Bainbridge proper assumed a superior air and took to making fun of South Bainbridge for its horse traders and horse races, and nicknamed it "jockeyport."" (from: Centennial Revisited: A Collection of Articles from the 'Afton Enterprise' for the centennial of the town of Afton, 1957 part of which was an address given by Dr. Carlton Hayes at the Afton Centennial. Dr. Hayes was a professor of history at Columbia University, ambassador to Spain during WWII and a resident of Afton.)
Today, the name "Jockeyport" is quickly associated with
Chuck Male, Jo Olver and their expanding enterprises, most notably
the draft horse drawn trolley and carriage rides, and the veterinary
hospital.
Jockeyport Livery Stables was established in 1973. The horse-drawn rides now have a major function in promoting the veterinary hospital. The trolley and visavis (carriage) provide horse-drawn rides for a wide variety of functions including weddings, First Night Binghamton, etc.
Jockeyport Veterinary Services was established in the fall
of 1997. Utilizing the Carriage house initially, the hospital has
grown to incorporate most of the ground floor of the original main
house with further expansion in the works. A small staff has grown
to a core of eleven, including two full time veterinarians, with a
variety of specialized and part-time assistance thrown in. A
substantial in-office lab, x-ray, and ultrasound capability for
small and large animals (endoscopy planned for the future), surgery
suite (autoclave for sterilizing, gas anesthesia machines - new
heart and respiratory monitors are now utilized during all
surgeries), and ever expanding kennel facilities. The goal is to
continue expanding into a complete animal hospital facility with a
variety of diagnostic and treatment options.
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