Bigger, Better Farm Show Complex (Continued from Page E 2) The legislation was amended in 1823 to form the State Agricul tural Society. In 1823, Gov. Jo seph Hiester approved an act to incorporate the society to meet the “second Saturday of January each year” for the purpose of an “exhibition and cattle show” in successive counties: Montgomery, Chester, Delaware, and Philadel phia. The first “state fair” was con ducted Oct. 22-24, 1823 near Paoli, which included oxen, farm ing implements, sale of animals, and other events. The sale in cluded more than 100 cattle, 150 sheep, 30 horses, and drew quite a crowd. Other exhibitions were con ducted over the following years in nearby areas. And over the decades, various societies, includ ing the state horticultural society, society for promoting agriculture, and others conducted regular ex hibitions. A real drive to bring the state fair or farm show to Harrisburg was conducted in May of 1850, when an open letter was sent to state farms that spoke about con ducting a fanners’ convention in Harrisburg “on the third Tuesday of January, 1851” to organize a State Agricultural Society, noted Johnson. A State Fair was organ ized in Harrisburg on Oct. 22-24, 1851, but because of conflicts with Maryland’s state fair, the Pennsylvania Fair was moved forward a week to Oct. 29-31. The fair location moved about a bit, including Lancaster in 1852, Pittsburgh in 1853, Phila delphia in 1854, and through the years at other locations until Johnstown in 1896-1897. Farm Show Traces Its Colorful Histon For more than 86 years, Farm Show has undergone many changes. Officials believe the changes at the 2003 Farm Show mirror the biggest changes since the Large Arena was constructed in 1938. These are three books sanctioned by Farm Show that describe a colorful and surprising history of events. By 1882, the book notes: “it was decided to develop a perma nent location for the institution. A 30-acre tract of land was leased for ten years in Philadelphia. Al most $BO,OOO was expended for buildings and other improve ments” and very successful fairs were held annually. Back then, breeder organiza tions had the most sway about conducting statewide events. Each of them would meet during the wintertime. Up until 1907, they met separately. But on Jan. 22-25,1907, a joint meeting of the State Board of Ag riculture, the Pennsylvania Live stock Breeders’ Association, and the Pennsylvania Dairy Union was conducted in Harrisburg. The first statewide Farm Prod ucts Show premiered in Harris burg, in the old executive build ing. But it wasn’t yet an annual event. Because of World War I, it was hard to meet on a yearly basis. But the agriculture secre tary of the time, C.E. Patton, called a meeting in December 1917 and announced the appoint ment of a permanent executive committee. This was the birth of the “state Farm Products Show Committee,” until the creation of the State Products Show Com mission in 1927. The meeting of 1917 proved a turning point, and 1917 could be considered the beginning of the Farm Show we know today. (Opening day was Jan. 23, a Tuesday.) In 1917, the farm show attend ance was 5,000 with premiums of $735. By 1927, the show had grown to a point where it “had attracted 50,000 people,” John- I i son noted. Premiums of $7,000 were paid. The show had various names up to this point. The first show was the “Pennsylvania Com, Fruit, Vegetable, Dairy Products, and Wool Show.” Then it was called, after 1917, the “Pennsyl vania Farm Products Show,” then the “Pennsylvania State Farm Products Show” or the “State Farm Products Show.” In 1931, it was officially named the “Pennsylvania Farm Show.” The first few state shows were conducted in the Emerson-Bran tingham building in Harrisburg, noted Johnson. From there, it began to expand, and was con ducted in many other locations in the city. Space became a prob lem. So Governor John S. Fisher provided for the construction of the Farm Show Building in the budget for 1929-1931. Original cost of the building with furn ishings: $1.44 million. The ground was broken on Oct. 30, 1929. The cornerstone was laid on April 1,1930, and the building was dedicated Monday evening, Jan. 19, 1931 the opening day of the 15th annual show, Johnson noted. Additions were completed with expansions of 15,000 square feet to the rear until and the purchase of an additional 27 acres of ground. In 1936, the Farm Show Building covered 440,000 square feet, eill under one roof. (In contrast, with new con struction in 2002, a total of 359,000 square feet of exhibit space was added, bringing the total for the 2003 Farm Show to more than 1 million square feet.) .<.> ■ * i \ First 50 Years Of The Pennsylvania Farm Show In 1966, the Pennsylvania Farm Show Commission pub lished a book, “The First Fifty Years of the Pennsylvania Farm Show,” compiled by Donald M. Cresswell. Governor at the time was Wil liam W. Scranton and Leland H. Bull was secretary of agriculture. PENNSYLVUU FVM SHOW America's Great Winter Agricultural Exposition Eleven acres of instructive exhibits and entertainment Agriculture—Commerce —Education —Cultural Arts See the Mammoth New $1 200,000 Arena FREE ADMISSION JANUARY 16 to 20, 1939 FORTY STATE FARM ASSOCIATIONS m convention m Harrisburg during Farm Show Week 4-H CLUB CAMP--VOCATIONAL SCHOOL CONTEST STATE FARM SHOW BUILDING Cameron and Maclay Streets, Harrisburg FOR INFORMATION See Your County Farm Agent or write to DIRECTOR, PENNSYLVANIA FARM SHOW, HARRISBURG ■ ■ Free admission was advertised at the opening of the 1939 show, where it was dedicated. Photo courtesy Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. 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Dbk, 1 ahor and industrt, OSHA and NIOSH guidelines Wa ara a community mindad firm with a commitment to help solve the environmental problems facing business managers and owners Our efficient operation allows us to provide (he highest quality. award winning service a( competitive rales In addition to commercial and Industrial work sites vve offer environmental sen ice to home owners ( all for a free estimate Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 4, 2003-E3 Horace L. Mann was Farm Show director. Heavy snows greeted visitors on the first day of the 1936 Farm Show, noted Cresswell (what else is new?) But attendance stayed high. At the 1938 show, Cresswell noted, ground was broken for a new Large Arena building by INC % laf (Turn to Page E 4)
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers