Photo Credit - Katie Ford
THE SLATE CREEK RELAY (THE GREAT RACE) WAS FIRST RUN ON THE 4TH OF JULY, 1977. IT WAS SPONSORED AND THE CONCEPT DEVELOPED BY THE SLATE CREEK DEPOT, A FINE DINING RESTAURANT LOCATED TWO MILES WEST OF WELLINGTON, KANSAS. THE SLATE CREEK DEPOT WAS AN EXTREMELY POPULAR DINING DESTINATION, DRAWING PATRONS FROM A NINETY MILE RADIUS AND BEYOND. ALTHOUGH THE DEPOT WAS LOST IN A TRAGIC FIRE IN LATE JULY, 1982, THE GREAT RACE WAS RUN WITHOUT INTERRUPTION EVERY JULY 4TH UNTIL DISCONTINUED AFTER THE RELAY IN JULY, 1986.
THE WELLINGTON AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE APPROACHED THE FORMER SLATE CREEK DEPOT OWNERS AND THE EVENT WAS RESUMED IN 2001. TODAY THE RACE COURSE REMAINS REMARKABLY THE SAME AS THE FIRST SERIES OF EVENTS. THE EARLY RACES STARTED AND FINISHED AT THE RESTAURANT LOCATION WEST OF WELLINGTON. TODAY’S EVENT STARTS AND FINISHES IN SOUTH WOODS PARK, A BEAUTIFUL VENUE WHICH THE EARLY RACES PASSED THROUGH. THE GREAT RACE IS NO LONGER RUN ON THE 4TH OF JULY, BUT RATHER THE LAST SATURDAY IN JULY. THE RACE COURSE REMAINS APPROXIMATELY 9 1/2 MILES IN LENGTH.
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History of the Great Race in Wellington, Ks
Slate Creek Relay