This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
The History of Fairs Overview and Origins
Fairs began thousands of years ago with merchants selling wares and were noted in the Bible. Christian churches later funded fairs by charging merchants for booth space, often pairing fairs with religious celebrations. In 1810 Elkanah Watson of Massachusetts proposed cow exhibits with prizes, creating the first agricultural fair in Pittsfield. There are now over 2,500 fairs in the United States each year, with many sizes and forms from school to county.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Elkanah Watson
Massachusetts
Pittsfield
Mass
United States