In 1880 Hanna K. Marshall of
Dayton, Pennsylvania went on a campaign to establish a local fair. She
was quite persistent in her efforts and soon many of the local leading
citizens took up her idea and decided to sell shares of stock in a fair
for ten dollars. In April of that year a meeting was held an the sale of
stock was deemed a success. The Dayton Fair was formed and called
"The Dayton Agricultural & Mechanical Association."
Immediately the first fair was planned for September 28th - October 1st.
A committee was assigned the task of finding a suitable location. As a
result 16 2/3 acres was leased from T. H. Marshall. A fence, seven feet
high made of pine boards with chestnut posts to be sunk three feet, was
erected.
Then a race track to be 1/4
mile oval was next to be established. Teams of horses used to plow and
grade the track were supplied by local men. The most challenging part of
this was the removal of an oak tree that grew where horses now enter the
track. With the use of manpower as well as horsepower the track came to
be.
The price of admission at
that first fair was five cents, and the only attraction on the midway
was a big bear in a tent. Mr. Roscoe believed he was present every day
of that first fair, and he was just 12 years old at the time. He always
remembered the bear because he spent most of his time watching it. The
second biggest attraction at the earliest Dayton Fairs was the mile-long
foot race on the oval track where Reid Marshall was easily the winner
for a few years.
The elected officers that
first year were president T.M. Elder, Vice Presidents J.W. Smith, G.C.
Stockdill, Wm. Moser, M.T. Work, G.A. Barnard, A.D. Glenn and Dr. Christ
McCune, Sectetary M.L. Thounhurst, Corresponding Secretary D.W. Lawson,
Treasurer S.S. Caldwell as well as Librarian W.W. Caldwell. The Managers
were G.C. Borland, Abram Good and the others whose names the secretary
failed to record. Auditors for the fair included John Steel, W.P.
Borland and Wm Marshall. The Chief Marshall was R.o. Clever. In 1881 all
elected officers were to be paid one dollar per day for each day spent
on Association interests.
Interestingly, a policeman,
Samual Myers, was hired to stay in the woods at the lower end of the
grounds to keep a sharp lookout for fellows trying to enter the grounds
by climbing the fence.
In 1883, the number of
managers was changed from five to seven and the last Tuesday in
September was resolved to be the annual opening for the Dayton Fair.
In 1886 the Dayton Fair was
recorded as a "wet one" and as a result only a percentage of
the premiums were paid. In 1898 when the fairgrounds were still being
rented from Thomas Marshall, the managers moved that he be offered
$1650.00 for the enclosed land and also a lease to buy the adjoining
land so there could be a half mile race track on the grounds. The money
for this came from from the sale of additional stock and from proceeds
of previous fairs. Ultimately it was reported that the land was
purchased for $1590.00 and 5 shares of stock. Over 400 shares of stock
are still owned by shareholders.
Over the years visitors to
the fair were introduced to many modern wonders. The first electric
lantern, the flashlight, caused much amazement. Even the auto first came
to the fair when it was exhibited by Mr. DuBoise shortly after 1900.
Residents living near the fairgrounds long remembered the gypsy caravans
that came to the fair, causing parents serious warning to "stay
away." At fair time the town's hotels would overflow, wagons and
buggies filled the streets and the railroad depot was bustling with
families carrying their picnic baskets.
Today, a board of directors
works hard all year long to make the Dayton Fair the best it can be. The
Dayton Fair is a week of the entertainment for everyone, young and old
with thousands flocking to the fairgrounds each day.
