The Red Onion

During the heyday of the Graw racetrack, Havre de Grace was a well-known destination for fans of racing, betting, and various other kinds of entertainment, not all of it legal. When there were races at the Graw, the City would fill with many sorts of people who came for excitement, and the chance to “make a buck”.

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The owners of the horses would be in town, along with all of their employees – trainers, jockeys, grooms and others, as well as their friends who came to be a part of the scene. Bettors came in their thousands, and those who stayed for more than an afternoon would look for diversions away from the track. There were speakeasys that served alcohol throughout Prohibition, bookie joints where bets could be placed on races at other tracks besides the Graw, card games, and night spots where men could find the companionship of a lady.

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One of these was called the Red Onion. The mural shows the building lit up for the evening, and the man in the suit and hat walking down the sidewalk to his limo is Al Capone, who is known to have visited Havre de Grace to attend the races.

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Locals benefited from these activities too, owning the operations or employed by them. While the authorities must have been aware of what was going on, and while certainly many residents would deplore the behavior of those who participated, apparently they were persuaded to “look the other way”.