The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-14

arts building will be overlooking with
women's handiwork. The horticultural
building will have the largest display in its
history. More fine cattle will be on exhibit
than were ever shown before i'm Indiana.
Special attention has been paid to the
horse show, which will be one of the fea-
lures of the fair. On Wednesday the. fine
coach. Cleveland bay, hackney, saddle
horses and ponies will be Judged and the
following day the light harness horses.
roadsters. coach and carriage teams. sad
die horses. equipages. etc.. will hold the at
tention of the crowds.
Secretary Downing is well pleased with
the prospects for the most successful fair
in the history of the State He is confident
that all records for attendance will be
broken this week. providing. of course the
weather is at all favorable. He says the
ments to draw the people and IL all depends
upon the cIemency of the weather.
In its fifty years the State Board Of Agri-
culture has never failed to pay it's premI-
ums in full. Premiums at the first fair
amounted 10 500. This year they amount
to $500. The State Board has in its time
distributed about 100000 in prizes among
10000 exhibitors. In fifty years about 1000
600 have attended the Indiana State fair.
The first Indiana State fair held at
indianapolis. beginning Oct. %. 1852 year
president of the State Board was Governor
Joseph A Wright. who was at the head OF
the State fair for the first three years
OF its existence. In 1852 the idea OF state
Previous to the organization OF the State
Board several county fairs had been held
In Indiana. and IL was out of these county
organizations that the idea OF a State ex-
hibition grew. The first Indiana State fair
lasted through three days. There were
Flowing contests between farmer boys. who
drove horses and oxen. There were exhibits
OF tombstones. daguerreotypes. slaves cut
by machinery and spinning wheels. a show
er bath was exhibited, said by the judges OF
the fair 10 have been ''ingenously con-
structed and well adapted TO family USE
There were exhibits Of sewing machines.
but the committee on prize awards thought
the $40. $50 and $50 asked for them was too
high for the machines to ever come into
general use"
In 1854 the second State fair was held az
Lafayette The following year IL was held
at Madison. In 1866 the fair came back 10
for four years. The fair became a wan
derer over the State again in 1853 the
exhibit that year being held at New Al
bany. In the spring OF 1850 thlrty-eigh
acres OF land. known a Camp Morton were
purchased as permanent site for the fair.
That year soldiers were camped on the
ground and fair could not be held The
next two years the fair was held with a
loss on account OF the war. In 1866 the fair
LETT It's permanent grounds and went TO
Fort Wayne. In 1856 an exhibition was held
In Indianapolis and in 1867 the fair came
back TO indianapolis. and from that year
TO this the State Board has pursued its
work every year without Interruption and
with varying fortunes. The old fair
grounds now Morton Place, brought s27b 90
when sold in 1892 In 1898 the State Board
held its fair on the present site. which v
now owned by the State.