The Bourbon news., 1911-09-08

amphitheatre was constructed in
a circular hollow, the side being
graded in seats for the accommo-
dation of the spectators. A
board fence four feet high sepa-
rated this from the show ring.
Marks of this rude arrangement
remained for several years.
Four years later, in 1850, a
tract of ten acres was added to
the first purchase and the whole
was enclosed by a high board
fence. In 1852 Major Williams
rendered his resignation as pres
ident of the Society and Brutus
j. Clay was elected to succeed
him. At a cost of approximate
ly $4,000 a new amphitheatre,
handsome cottages and conve-
nient booths were erected. Short
ly afterwards eight more acres
of ground was added, making a
total of twenty-eight acres. In
1856 the State Agricultural So
ciety erected a floral hall and a
number of box stalls which were
subsequently purchased by the
Bourbon County Agricultural
Society. To these more improve
ments were added.
With the guidance of tie Or
ganization gradually passing into
Younger hands, the young men
composing the majority of the
Board of Directors desiring to
keep fully abreast with the times
decided to introduce new fea-
turss in the way of trotting, run
ming and pacing races. To this
end the old circular amphithe-
atre was torn down in 1886 and
in the early spring of the year
following several more acres of
ground was purchased, a splen-
did half-mile track built, and a
new grandstand seating 1000
people, judges and music stands
and new stables built. A new
floral hall was erected just south
of the grandstand. At this meet
ing the fiftieth anniversary of
the existence of the Society was
celebrated in an appropriate
manner and in the presence of a
large crowd.
The change from the old to the
new ideas of conducting the
county fair did not meet with the
approval of the farming classes
and the attendance dwindled
down year after year until 1896
the society was confronted by an
overwhelming debt. The fate
of the organization was decided
on December 10, 1896, when fire
destroyed the amphitheatre,
stands and a goodly portion of
the fence around the race track.
Already burdened with debt
the society decided not to rebuild
and with this decision passed the
hope of reviving the famous old
Bourbon Fair, and ten years
passed before the movement for
recognizing the Society was
considered.
The question of reorganizing the
Society was agitated year after
year following the destruction
by fire of the buildings, but
without any result and the
grounds of tee Society were di-
vided into small tracts and pass
ed into the hands of real estate
spectators and home builders
and is rapidly becoming one of
the most attractive residene sec
tions of the city.
The reorganization of the So
ciety was undertaken in the ear
ly spring of 1906, when it was
proposed by the promoters to
float enough stock to purchase
suitable grounds and erect a
stand, stalls and other necessary
buildings.
The proposed movement met
with hearty support and a tract
of land containing 22 3-4 acres
at the intersection of the Bethle-
hem and Maysville and LeXing-
ton turnpikes was purchased
from Mr.. E. K. Thomas at a cost
of So, 500.
An amphitheatre fashioned
after that erected in 1852 was
built and stock stalls erected.
The grounds were improved by
the planting Of trees, and:beaut:.
full walks were laid from each
entrance. All this work was
completed before scheduled date
of the fair, and the first exhibi-
tion held by the newly organized
Society was held in September,
1906.