The ostrich races were advertised beforehand

In July of 1935, the streets of downtown Brevard became the site for ostrich races by the Katharine Reid Ostrich Troupe. Six ostriches were on display the day before and the day of the race for curious spectators, many of whom had never seen an ostrich before. Riders were both men and women sporting bright orange jockey uniforms. Brevard merchants sponsored the event, including B & B Feed and Seed Store, which supplied food for the ostriches and was the starting locale for the races, which ended at the Fire Station on Main Street.

A large crowd came out to witness the races

They were observed to be very fast and powerful birds, reported as being capable of running up to 35 miles per hour. When the races started, one ostrich careened into a Ford Model T coupe, denting it badly. The bird was injured and unable to race anymore that day. The rider was unharmed. The event boosted attention for the downtown businesses and was an unusual and welcome diversion for residents.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom @transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.