Danville Fair Association, 1909
Published 8:53 am Monday, May 22, 2017
- Cover of 1909 Danville Fair Association fair catalogue.
Danville Fair Association stockholders organized in March 1909 and formed the new organization after the Central Kentucky Fair Association went into liquidation. The new group took over the property of the old association.
Officers for the new Fair Board were T.B. Bright, president; J.G. Cecil, vice president; L.M.Dunn, secretary; Fred Harris, treasurer; and Capt. T.D. English, ring marshal.
Board members included the officers and W.P. Givens, George E. Anderson, H.C.Bright, R.G. Evans, W.H. Murphy, George B. Robinson, Guy Hundley, W.C. Gentry, Forestus Reid, C.P. Cecil Jr., Samuel Harris, Allen S. Edelen, J.S. Baughman, John McRoberts, and Thomas Metcalf.
Officers of the Central Kentucky Fair refused to serve in the new group, but offered to lend their best efforts toward helping in making the new association stand out in the forefront of Kentucky fair promoters.
Harrodsburg, Danville secretaries shake hands
A news article said after the reorganization of the Danville Fair, Rodman Keenon, the new secretary of the Harrodsburg Fair Association, was in Danville to call on the new association. Keenon proposes to unite for their mutual welfare.
This will be happy news to all people in the county. It also will be hailed with delight in Harrodsbrg, he said.
Danville will bend every effort to outdo each other’s neighborhood in sending a rousing delegation to the Harrodsburg fair.
Harrodsburg will do likewise for the Danville fair.
Both towns are so located that they should have fairs second to none in the state.
If Perryville has a fair this year, Danville and Harrodsburg will join together to help that thriving town, too, according to the newspaper archives.
Plans for upcoming fair
A copy of the Danville Fair Association catalogue for August 3-6,1909, shows the local fair was reorganized and incorporated. It was made up of new and younger blood, purchasing the grounds of the predecessors.
The fairgrounds were said to be cool, shady with large trees and commodities, amphitheater and grandstand, plenty of good, pure water and the best half-mile track in the state and comfortable quarters for stock with over a hundred box stalls.
“We will allow no gambling of any kind on the ground, and the rules will be rigidly enforced against all games of chance and percentage. Touts and camp-followers will not be admitted at the gates.”
Rules and regulations included 26 events fair attenders should know about the event.
One of the features of the upcoming Danville Fair that is getting much attention is the Edna May Challenge Cup offered by Mrs. Richard Tasker Lowndes of Postock House, Clarksburg, West Virginia. She is offering a trophy with cash premiums offered by the Fair Association, according to articles in the Advocate-Messenger archives.
Entries for all horse races closed on July 24. Classes were offered in the following classes: harness, saddle, five-gated, high steppers, harness, three-gated, walk trot and cantered horses, and roadsters.
First day events included judging of mules, and shetland ponies followed the second day with jack stock and horse races. The third day was for saddle horses and the forth day was for harness horses, and saddle stakes.
Gate fees started at 25 cents for 10-year-olds, 50 cents for horse and rider went up top $2.50 for four-horse vehicle and driver.
The catalogue was filled with pages of advertisement from local businesses and financial institutions.
Special train to run
Reduced rates were offered with special train service via the Queen & Crescent railroad route. The train will run from Somerset to Danville the last three days of the fair. It will stop at all stations between Somerset and Danville and Hustonville, Moreland and Junction City. Everyone can come and enjoy the fair.
Events planned
Each day, Smittie’s Famous Band of Cincinnati was scheduled to render a musical program featuring marches, waltzes, poplar music and ragtime.
The Fair Association has completed arrangements with Manhan & Adams, the most expert caterers of Central Kentucky, to furnish dinner at the Danville Fair in its spacious hall under the grandstand. Miss Nan McDowell will be in charge of service. The menu will be bountiful in every detail.
A Merchants Carnival promises to be one of the greatest attractions at the fair. Each merchant will be given an opportunity to make a display advertising his business.
The methods employed by each will be kept secret, so that much rivalry will be developed and each one will attempt to surpass the other.
However, the board announced that there would be no free day for ladies attending the fair.
Cover of 1909 Danville Fair Association fair catalogue.
Advertisements filled pages in the fair catalogue.
