White City, Manchester

The White City Retail Park is a retail park on the south side of Chester Road in the Old Trafford area of Manchester in England, at the southeast corner of the docks area and southeast of Manchester United's ground: [http://manchesterhistory.net/whitecity/WCMAP.jpgmap] .

History of the White City site

*1827: The Botanical and Horticultural Society was founded in Manchester.
*1827 or later: It set up a botanical garden [http://manchesterhistory.net/whitecity/garden.html] at what is now White City. They built the big white gate that still faces Chester Road.
*February 1907: Heathcote and Brown bought the gardens area and set up the White City Company. That is the origin of the name "White City".
*20 May 1907: The White City Company opened the White City Pleasure Gardens. [http://manchesterhistory.net/whitecity/amusementpark.html]
*1928 or earlier: A stadium was built in White City.
*16 July 1928: First motorcycle speedway race at White City. There was a crash at the first meeting.
*1930: Greyhound racing started in White City.
*July 1953: A 6-lane cinder track for athletics was made. It was 2/9 of a mile round.
*1972: Stock car racing started at White City, run by Mike Parker Promotions. [http://manchesterhistory.net/whitecity/stock.html]
*1976: The track was asphalted.
*1982: The stadium was closed.
*1982 or later: The shopping center was built there.

External links

*http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/ewm/00features/453.html (scroll to a bit less than halfway down)
*http://manchesterhistory.net/whitecity/home.html