Valley Girl Views: When The Union County Fair Was Held In Lewisburg

From 1859 to 1936, The Union County Fair was held in Lewisburg, at what today is Brookpark & the Auction grounds.

The first Union County fair was held in New Berlin, at the courthouse, in wither 1853, or as the Harrisburg Telegraph reports, in November of 1852. In 1854 it was held at the Lewisburg college (known as Bucknell today). In 1856 it was held in Hartleton, and in 1857, Mifflinburg.

For 78 years, the Union County Fair was held in Brook Park, at the location where the Farmers Market is held today.

On October 14 1858, the newly formed Union County Agricultural Association purchased 10 acres in "Brook Park", one mile west of Lewisburg. The new location had Bull Run creek nearby for watering livestock, and plenty of room for buildings to be constructed.

1900

"The present day fair grounds included about fifty acres, on which a track, for horse racing, stables, a grandstand, and five exhibition buildings have been erected. In the olden days when horse racing was in its heyday in Central Pennsylvania, such equine kinds as Hal Direct, Tony Patch, Red Jacket, Senator Hal, Tommy Direct and Heart of Oak held battles royal on the half mile oval - 'the fastest half mile track in the state' according to most horsemen."

- Henry Shoemaker, 1937

Sign hanging at the Silvermoon Restaurant.

Horse races were held each year through 1933. In 1934, the horse races were cancelled due to lack of interest. Automobile races were held instead.

1922

The fair ran for 4 days each year, with the train bringing visitors for nearby towns. There were concerts, parades, horse races, agricultural displays and livestock shows.

The fair ran every September, until 1936. In the fall of 1936, there were numerous articles in the local papers, pleading for help to reorganize and save the fair. But in 1937, the bank sold the land.

See photos of each page of the 1908 Fair book at the bottom of this post.

In 1908, Fair Premiums were doubled.

A prize of $30 was offered for the cow producing the most milk in one day. An additional $20 went to the cow producing the most butter in one day at the fair.

"Captain Webb and his performing seals and sea lion gave entertaining exhibitions before the grand stand each afternoon." in 1908.

In 1912 an attempt was made to get two local girls to join the Salome Dance show. The position paid $4 a day. One of the girls went into the tent to consider joining, but her friend became alarmed and notified a state policeman on the fairgrounds. The policeman "went right in and gave the man a lecture he is not likely to forget. The officer gave the girl some sound advice too."

1927

In 1927 one of the main features was Arlins Seal and Diving act, "which has won much applause at the Pottsville & Reading Fairs" On Thursday September 22, all the stores were to close at 11 o'clock, "on account of the Union County Fair."

In 1928 there were Balloon Ascensions, parachute jumps, acrobats, ponies, and seals. And a riot over a dice game.

"The fuss had its origin in a big crap game Monday night and culminated in the first riot call Mrs. Emily S. Frock had received since being inducted into the office as Sheriff of Unon County."

Accused of using weighted dice, a nego man was struck over the head with an iron pipe. Men took sides in the dispute, but settled down and all was peaceful Tuesday night. At 3pm on Wednesday nowever, a "real rumpus started".

Fifty carnival men marched enmass against teh stablemen, who knowin they were outnumbered, barricared the stable in "evern mannder possible".

Twenty five officers, including Pennsylvania Railroad Police, State Highway Patrol, and fairground police were called in to quell the dispute.

In 1928 you could purchase 3 50 cent admission tickets for $1, up until September 10th. Each ticket included a chance to win a new automobile.

1933 was the last year for horse racing at the fair. In 1934 they were replaced with automobile races.

There was a trapeze act by the Four Vesses, and Ernie Young's Sensational Revue, "direct from the Chicago's World Fair" for entertainment at the Union County Fair in 1934.

The Congress Of Dare-Devils appeared at the fair in both 1934 & 1935. "Ward Beam was a small-time promoter from the town of Celina, Ohio, not far from the border of Jay County, Indiana. In the 1920s, he started promoting “wreck-it” races in which $50 jalopies would race to the finish, but crash along the way. B.Ward Beam’s World’s Champions Daredevils is credited as the originator of the auto thrill show as a form of entertainment, debuting his Congress of Daredevils in Toledo, Ohio, in 1923.

Beam’s men initially devised a set routine of car tricks, consisting of precision driving and automotive endurance demonstrations,” wrote Boston University sociologist Itai Vardi in his 2011 article “Auto Thrill Shows and Destruction Derbies, 1922-1965”, which appeared in the Journal of Social History. “Yet the shows soon turned largely into spectacles of high risk and destruction. The greatest attraction, Beam discovered, were the wrecks and smashes: autos colliding in head-on crashes, slamming into brick and flaming walls, leaping from ramps straight into other vehicles (known as the ‘T-bone Crash’), and running over human ‘iron men.’”

By then, Beam was running several race tracks, including Bridgeville Speedway in Pittsburgh and the Roby Raceway one-mile dirt track near Chicago. He ran AAA-sanctioned stock car races, but he used the downtime to promote his thrill shows.

When drivers do this stunt in modern times, they’re wearing a Nomex fire suit and a full-face crash helmet. When B. Ward Beam’s guys did it, they wore overalls and a fedora."

Also in 1934, a "Public Wedding" was to be held - but the couple did not show up. A mock ceremony was held using one of the show girls and one of he announcers.

The Lewisburg Chair Factory furnished rooms in a model home on display at the fair in 1935.

On October 8 1936, it rained so fiercely that all events at the Union County fair were cancelled. "Senator Mason Owelett left Lewisburg without delivering a scheduled address."

1937

In 1937, the fairgrounds were sold, and the Wednesday Night Auctions began. Today, the "auction" is the the Wednesday farmers market. Read more about that here:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/01/when-lewisburg-farmers-market-was.html