County Fairs Were Big Attractions

AKRON & SUMMIT COUNTY

Karl H. Grismer,

Summit County Historical Society,

Akron, Ohio c. 1950 Chapter 5 p 160-161

Another thing which stimulated trade was the Summit County Fair, held each autumn after farmers had harvested their crops and had money in their pockets. The fairs were not held in Akron by accident—they were brought here through the efforts of the Summit County Agricultural Society, an aggregation of loyal Akron boosters and good friends in nearby townships.

The society was organized November 14, 1849, at a meeting in the courthouse. A week later the first officers were elected: Col. Simon Perkins, president; Henry G. Weaver, vice-president; William H. Dewey, treasurer, and 'William A. Hanford, secretary. Five managers also were elected: John Hoy, Sylvester H. Thompson, Avery Spicer, Philo C. Stone and James W. Weld.

At this meeting the county commissioners loosened up the county's purse strings and promised to donate $137.50 each year for the fair's support. They also gave the society permission to hold the first fairs on the courthouse grounds.

During the following year the officials and managers worked tirelessly to arouse interest throughout the county and raised money through sales of $1 memberships to assure an alluring list of prizes, ranging from 50 cents to as high as $8 for the best cattle and horses. Altogether the prizes totaled $100.

At last the big days came—Wednesday and Thursday, October 2 and 3, 1850, and into Akron from every township streamed farmers and villagers, eager to take in the big event. The finest domestic animals raised in the county were exhibited in tents on the grounds, and in the courthouse itself were exhibited fruits, flowers, domestic fabrics, fancy work and even a straw bonnet made from county-grown straw.

In the bovine and equine display were a team of 34 yoke of oxen and another of 15 span of horses, both from Tallmadge.

The most popular feature of the fair was a series of plowing con­tests held on the commons just east of the jail. (This was before the cut was made through that section of town for the branch railroad to Hudson). Both oxen and horses were entered in the matches and, in addition to the plowing, the strength of the animals was put to test in pulling loaded wagons, stoneboats and stumps. Betting was spirited and large sums of money changed hands.

Such a huge crowd attended the second fair, held October 16 and 17, 1851, that the need for larger grounds was plainly shown. Colonel Perkins then granted the society free use of a six-acre tract on S. Main opposite the present B. F. Goodrich office building. The grounds could not be improved in time for the 1852 fair, however, and it, too, was held on the courthouse grounds.

During the following summer the South Akron tract was fenced in and a large exhibit building was erected, the improvements alto­gether costing $1,800. The fair of 1853 was held there with great suc­cess. Three years later a half-mile race track was laid out and the first races were run on October 8, 9, and 10, 1856.

By that time the Summit County Fair had become the leading fair in northern Ohio. It was not only the great harvest festival for Summit County people but was also an attraction which brought in thousands of visitors from adjoining counties and even from remote sections of the state.

Said Editor Ashel Lewis of the Summit County Beacon in 1858: -Beyond a doubt the county fair is of inestimable value to Akron. It is a magnet which pulls in at least $200,000 of outside money each autumn. Without this extra business we fear that some of our merchants would be sorely troubled in these trying times."

During the fair week every hotel and rooming house in town was filled to capacity and many private homes took in guests. Livery stables did a rushing business and stores were crowded. Almost all the visitors had money to spend, and when they spent it, the whole town benefited. Crowds had become so large by 1858 that the need for larger grounds became imperative. Perkins offered to sell most of the land where the Goodrich factories now stand for $80 an acre. But the fair officials dilly-dallied and by the time they were ready to make a decision Perkins had sold the land to other parties.

David L. King, son of Judge Leicester King, then came to the rescue and leased to the society for five years a splendid 35-acre tract on the hill between Ash Street and Glendale Avenue, just west of the business district. Covered with large trees, the tract was one of the most beautiful in this locality. Buildings and fences were moved there from the old grounds and $3,128 was spent on new improvements, including more exhibit halls and a fine race track. To help make the grounds the best in the state, business men liberally donated labor and teams.

At this fair grounds, called Summit Grove, Akron had some of the finest fairs of its entire history.