• Featured Business
    • Around the House
    • Health Care
    • Local Retail Shops
    • Restaurants
    • Services
  • Everyday
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Aberdeen High School
    • Elma High School
    • Hoquiam High School Sports
    • Montesano High School Sports
    • North Beach High School Sports
    • Ocosta High School Sports
    • Wishkah Valley High School Sports
    • Rec League
  • Food & Art
  • History
  • LocalTalk
  • Activities
    • Adult
    • Family
    • Indoor
    • Outdoor
    • Kids
    • Kids
  • Event Calendar
    • Calendar
    • Add An Event
    • Event Articles
  • Tourism
    • 1. Winter
    • 2. Spring
    • 3. Summer
    • 4. Fall
  • Community Channels
    • Coffee Shop
    • Grays Harbor Transit
    • Hospital
    • Financial – Credit Union
    • Veterinary Services
  • COVID-19 Local Information
Search
Monday, January 25, 2021
  • About
    • Team
    • Media Partner
    • Company News
    • Contact
    • Terms of Use
  • Advertise
    • Advertising
    • Company News
  • Forums
GraysHarborTalk
  • Featured Business
    • AllAround the HouseHealth CareLocal Retail ShopsRestaurantsServices
      Grays Harbor Hospital-Dr-Bajwa-Outdoor

      Grays Harbor Community Hospital Welcomes New Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Arpun Bajwa

      foot-and-ankle-surgical-olympia-Winter-Foot-Care-Patient-1536x1024 (1)

      Whether Snow, Sleet or Rain, Foot & Ankle Surgical Associates Helps…

      Grays-Harbor-Community-Hospital-new-primary-care-staff-east-campus

      Welcoming New Providers to the Harbor Medical Group Family

      Summit Pacific-Tour-de-Wellness-Foundation-event

      Summit Pacific Medical Center rides out on a Tour de Wellness

  • Everyday
    • point defiance park

      How to Maintain Your 2021 New Year’s Resolutions in Grays Harbor

      -Local-Businesses-Benefit-North-Beach-Community-Food-Truck-Outside-Line

      Local Businesses Team Together to Benefit North Beach Restaurant Employees During…

      evergreen state college--Gateways-classes

      The Evergreen State College’s Gateways for Incarcerated Youth Creates Change Through…

      Olympic Stadium City of Hoquiam

      Historic Olympic Stadium Receives Additional Funding to Restore the Hoquiam Gem…

      The Evergreen State College Tacoma campus 2017 candids

      The Evergreen State College’s Tacoma Program: Enter to Learn, Depart to…

  • Sports
    • AllHigh School SportsAberdeen High SchoolElma High SchoolHoquiam High School SportsMontesano High School SportsNorth Beach High School SportsOcosta High School SportsWishkah Valley High School SportsRec League
      Hoquiam high school maddie-german-1

      Hoquiam High School Grad Maddie German Heading to Everett for Softball

      Janessa-Otterstetter-Montesano-1

      Montesano Grad Janessa Otterstetter to Be Dual Sport Athlete at Wenatchee…

      Aberdeen Annika-Eisele-PLU-swimming 3

      Aberdeen’s Annika Eisele to swim at Pacific Lutheran University

      Elma girls basketball regionals

      Elma, Montesano Heading to 1A Girls State Basketball Tournament

  • Food & Art
    • grays habor vintage Molly-Ehmer-Overalls

      Stitch by Stitch, Molly Ehmer Infuses New Life into Vintage Textiles…

      Bayview-School-of-Cooking-Sun-Dried-Tomato-and-Mushroom-Pasta

      Bayview School of Cooking Finds Ways to Keep Home Cooks Inspired

      Bayview-Catering-Smoked-Salmon

      Think Outside of the Box this Holiday Season with Bayview Catering

      Stormans Grocery Stores Support Local Producers Through Pandemic Recovery

      Claire Hollenbaugh

      The Fancy Accent Tea Company: Gourmet Teas and Tea Lore Delivered…

  • History
    • Hoquiam river 1

      Discover Hoquiam River History

      Polson-Museum-Hometown-Teams-Boxing-Gloves

      The Smithsonian Institution Hometown Teams Traveling Exhibition Inspires Harborites To Discover…

      Kestner Homestead

      Historical Homesteads of Grays Harbor

      Grays Harbor County Fair Charlie Daniels

      A Quick History of Grays Harbor County Fair Entertainers

      Willie Bush, Child Solider

      Willie Bush: The Tie Between Montesano, the Civil War and a…

  • LocalTalk
    • sunset viewing

      Grays Harbor County Mass Vaccination

      Adopt A Pet Dog of the Week Reddog

      Adopt-A-Pet Dog of the Week: RedDog

      westport winery ocean daughter distillery

      Westport Winery and Ocean’s Daughter Distillery Create State’s First Dual Tasting…

      Grays harbor state route 109 mud slide

      SR 109 in Grays Harbor County Remains Closed Due To Mudslide

      Grays Harbor

      Grays Harbor Traffic: Slope Repairs Begin on SR 8 at Wildcat…

  • Activities
    • AllAdultFamilyIndoorOutdoorKids
      Aberdeen Sam Ben Disc Golf Course

      21 Things To Do in Grays Harbor in 2021

      Where to Surf Ocean Shores-Damon-Point-Surfing

      Where to Surf in Ocean Shores

      holiday lights grays harbor Seabrook-town-hall-sleigh

      Where to Find Holiday Lights in Grays Harbor

      storm watching grays harbor Calm-Before-the-Storm

      Where to Storm Watch in Grays Harbor

    • Kids
  • Event Calendar
    • Calendar
    • Add An Event
    • Event Articles
  • Tourism
    • All1. Winter2. Spring3. Summer4. Fall

      How To Dig for Razor Clams in Grays Harbor

      Where-to-go-Beachcombing-in-Winter-in-Grays-Harbor-Shells-and-sand-dollars

      Where to go Beachcombing in Winter in Grays Harbor

      twin bridges county park

      Grays Harbor County Parks

      Where to Eat in McCleary

  • Community Channels
    • Coffee Shop
    • Grays Harbor Transit
    • Hospital
    • Financial – Credit Union
    • Veterinary Services
  • COVID-19 Local Information
Home Activities ‘Horse Around’ in History at Cosmopolis’ Makarenko Park

‘Horse Around’ in History at Cosmopolis’ Makarenko Park

By
Kristine Lowder
Facebook287Tweet0Pin0

Saddle up for a ride into history and “living works of art” with a trip to Makarenko Park. Located in Cosmopolis, the park’s 39 acres include soccer fields, a walking/biking trail, and a community garden. But a closer look reveals much more.

grays harbor tourism“It’s the crown jewel of our park system,” says Cosmopolis Mayor Frank Chestnut. “We have a lot of folks from the community who use it and folks from outside the community also enjoy it. We’re very proud of it.”

Makarenko Park was donated to the city in 1991 by Olivetta Faulkner who specified that the park be named the Major D.S. Makarenko Memorial Park. Major Makarenko was a retired Russian military major and former cavalry officer who moved to the area.

makarenko park
Makarenko Park in Cosmopolis was named for a former Russian cavalry officer. Photo credit: Kristine Lowder.

The City of Cosmopolis Makarenko Memorial Park Interim Report offers a bird’s eye view of the park’s proud past. Written by former Cosmopolis City Council Member Tom Grenfell, the report is dated November 6, 1992.

According to Grenfell, Cosmopolis resident Olivetta Faulkner left the park to the city upon her death in November 1991. She was 97. The park is on the site of what was formerly the late Major D.S. Makarenko’s Riding School. And here’s where it gets good. I mean, Hollywood-movie good. As in, Russian aristocrat flees Communist Revolution, makes good in Grays Harbor, gives back to community in spades, teaches kids to ride and helps them stay off drugs. In the report, Major Makarenko is described as an “extremely hard worker” and “notably warm-hearted.”

I like the major already. This is before I got to the part about the major’s tie-in with the Legendary White Stallions of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna.

Here’s the back story from Tom Grenfell:

Who Was Major Makarenko and How Did He Wind Up in Grays Harbor?

“Diomed Sergeivich Makarenko was a major in the light cavalry under Czar Nicholas II before he fled Russian during the communist takeover. Eventually, the Major (as he was referred to by local people) made his way to Grays Harbor and started a riding academy on the South Beach in 1930. He moved to this location the following year and it was here that he conducted the Cohasset Riding School until his death in 1968.

makarenko park
One of Makarenko Park’s most popular feature is its walking trails. Photo credit: Kristine Lowder.

By his own estimate, he taught more than 3,000 students from the Grays Harbor area to ride. Generations of local children and adults “rode with the Major” and will remember his horses Geordi, Rusty, Taffy, Nuss Afir, Rocky, Skipper, Neptune, and Cindy. Some, who as children either rode or helped with the horses, will remember the Major’s prodding them to “work hard at school and stay out of trouble.” Many credit him with their getting through school and keeping away from drugs.

Though born an aristocrat and despite a youth of leisure among the Russian nobility, the Major was not only notably warm-hearted, he was an extremely hard worker. He personally cleared and fenced the land, hauled fertilizer for the pastures and the polo field, and often would saddle horses for novice riders. Only his noble bearing on his horse disclosed his origins.

The Major’s teaching methods were unique for his time; he followed the techniques of the Spanish Riding School (which had been perfected by the European militaries and were prevalent in Russian court riding.)”

Yes. That riding school. Located in Vienna, Austria, the Spanish Riding School is home to the world famous Lipizzaner stallions. These elegant, intelligent horses, snow-white upon maturity, are often described as “living works of art.” And Grays Harbor apparently had its very own Spanish Riding School expert in Major Makarenko.

Recalls Mayor Chestnut, “The major was a very imposing character. You did it his way or not at all. The academy was very popular. A lot of people relied on the major’s teaching abilities to learn how to ride.” Lessons included advanced riding skills, drills, and riding exhibitions.

Grenfell continues:

makarenko park
Makarenko Park’s 39 acres includes soccer fields. Photo credit: Kristine Lowder.

“His application of these techniques involved schooling several riders (usually no more than eight) in unison. Beginning riders learned basic skills and school drills. Advanced riders worked on dressage skills such as obedience and precision. The annual riding exhibition at the Cohasset Riding School was a remarkable display of complex drill and maneuvers by the major’s team of children and adults.

Interestingly, the Spanish Riding School techniques taught by the Major and known as “quadrille riding” have recently returned from Europe to this country and are being actively practiced and promoted by the California Quadrille Association (CQA)!

It is appropriate that Miss Faulkner specified that the park be named the Major D.S. Makarenko Memorial Park.”

The Grenfell report includes a legal description of Makarenko Park, roads and trails, diagrams, terms and conditions of Faulkner’s will, and possible park uses. As you might guess, equestrian activities and facilities factor in huge here. “Possible park uses” included: riding instruction for children, adult and special (handicapped) riders, horse training and horse shows, clinics and examinations, saddle riding, dressage and jumping, and cross-country and trails. Equestrian facilities included a covered riding arena, lunge and cantering rings, bridle trails (with corrals), jumping arenas, stables (for resident, boarding and visiting horses), and a tack and trophy room.

Today, the park’s most popular feature is the walking trails. Says Chestnut, “You can bump into any of your neighbors (on the trails).” The park is also enjoyed by youth soccer for practices and matches. It also hosts local cross-country meets.

makarenko park
Makarenko Park also includes a community garden. Photo credit: Kristine Lowder.

You may not know it now, but the park site once included a paddock area, covered riding arena, barn and a polo field. In the early days of the Cohasset Riding School, folks engaged in the Sport of Kings on this field. The Major’s house was also on the site. It burned to the ground in a “spectacular fire” in 1989.

Mayor Chestnut has a personal tie to the park and the major. He explains, “My uncle, Maurice (“Morey”) and his brother, my father, used to work up there for the major. My uncle used to swamp out stables and my father, Mahlon, would tag along. Dad was the younger of the two. They’d sneak a (horse back) ride every now and then and the major would let them.”

Rich in history and storied distinction, Makarenko Park is indeed a “living work of art.” Just like the Major.

Makarenko Park is located on a hill west of Cosmopolis. From Highway 101, turn on to “G” Street. Continue about 5 blocks to the 5-way stop at the foot of two hills. Turn left at Altenau Road. Clue 1: “Makarenko Park” street sign. Go up the hill. You’ll pass a cemetery on the right when you crest the hill. Continue down the road two blocks past the cemetery. Clue 2: Makarenko Park street sign at “Paisley Creek” sign. Turn right onto Stanford Drive. It dead-ends into Makarenko Park on the right. You may want to bring a saddle.

Print Friendly
Facebook287Tweet0Pin0
Previous article5 Delicious Dessert Destinations in Grays Harbor
Next articleGraysHarborTalk Hits Publishing Milestone
Kristine Lowder

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Aberdeen Sam Ben Disc Golf Course

21 Things To Do in Grays Harbor in 2021

Grays-Harbor-Community-Foundation-Kids-In-School

Building A Better Community With Grays Harbor Community Foundation

Where to Surf Ocean Shores-Damon-Point-Surfing

Where to Surf in Ocean Shores

Upcoming Events

Jan
27
Wed
7:15 pm Aberdeen City Council Meeting @ Aberdeen City Hall
Aberdeen City Council Meeting @ Aberdeen City Hall
Jan 27 @ 7:15 pm
 
Feb
10
Wed
10:30 am Family Storytime @ Elma Timberland Regional Library
Family Storytime @ Elma Timberland Regional Library
Feb 10 @ 10:30 am – 11:00 am
This engaging program includes rich stories, rhymes, songs, and movement games for the whole family! All ages welcome. Children must be accompanied by a participating adult.
7:15 pm Aberdeen City Council Meeting @ Aberdeen City Hall
Aberdeen City Council Meeting @ Aberdeen City Hall
Feb 10 @ 7:15 pm
 
Feb
13
Sat
10:00 am Lower Satsop Planting
Lower Satsop Planting
Feb 13 @ 10:00 am
Lower Satsop Planting
The Grays Harbor Stream Team will be planting native tress with the Grays Harbor Conservation District in order to increase habitat for fish, amphibians, and birds. Take Hwy 12 to Keys Rd. Follow the road[...]
Feb
15
Mon
7:00 pm Elma City Council Meeting @ Elma City Hall
Elma City Council Meeting @ Elma City Hall
Feb 15 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
 
View Calendar

Local Community Sponsors

STAY CONNECTED

13,753FansLike
970FollowersFollow

Business

Grays Harbor Hospital-Dr-Bajwa-Outdoor

Grays Harbor Community Hospital Welcomes New Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Arpun Bajwa

Grays Harbor is home to many recreational enthusiasts looking to hike, bike, surf, fish, kayak, paddleboard, run and explore the terrain. And it is...
foot-and-ankle-surgical-olympia-Winter-Foot-Care-Patient-1536x1024 (1)

Whether Snow, Sleet or Rain, Foot & Ankle Surgical Associates Helps...

Grays-Harbor-Community-Hospital-new-primary-care-staff-east-campus

Welcoming New Providers to the Harbor Medical Group Family

Trending Now

sunset viewing

Grays Harbor County Mass Vaccination

grays habor vintage Molly-Ehmer-Overalls

Stitch by Stitch, Molly Ehmer Infuses New Life into Vintage Textiles...

westport winery ocean daughter distillery

Westport Winery and Ocean’s Daughter Distillery Create State’s First Dual Tasting...

Editor Picks

Aberdeen Sam Ben Disc Golf Course

21 Things To Do in Grays Harbor in 2021

point defiance park

How to Maintain Your 2021 New Year’s Resolutions in Grays Harbor

-Local-Businesses-Benefit-North-Beach-Community-Food-Truck-Outside-Line

Local Businesses Team Together to Benefit North Beach Restaurant Employees During...

Recent Posts

  • Grays Harbor County Mass Vaccination
  • Adopt-A-Pet Dog of the Week: RedDog
  • Westport Winery and Ocean’s Daughter Distillery Create State’s First Dual Tasting Room
  • Stitch by Stitch, Molly Ehmer Infuses New Life into Vintage Textiles in Grays Harbor
  • SR 109 in Grays Harbor County Remains Closed Due To Mudslide
ABOUT US
GraysHarborTalk is a community social network delivering positive stories about what it’s like to live, work and play in Grays Harbor County, including Aberdeen, Hoquiam, Montesano, Elma, Ocean Shores, Westport and the surrounding area. Advertise with GraysHarborTalk. Brand your business and tell your story to your target market.
Contact us: info@graysharbortalk.com
FOLLOW US
  • About
    • Team
    • Media Partner
    • Company News
    • Contact
    • Terms of Use
  • Advertise
    • Advertising
    • Company News
  • Forums
© GraysHarborTalk, Inc.
Edit with Live CSS
Save
Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete.