History of Cheshire Fair

The Cheshire Fair started as an offspring of a Farmers Field Day in 1935. At that time Edwin R. Chamberlain, then County Agricultural Agent, arranged a program of Horse and Ox pulling for an annual Field Day of the Cheshire County FArm Bureau in Wheelock Park in Keene. The program met with such favorable reception that the Farm Bureau directors decided to enlarge it the following year and include exhibits of livestock, farm product, handiwork, food, canning, 4-H and poultry. They were given free use of Safford Park in Swanzey by Perley F. Safford and proceeded to hold a “Fair”. However, the weather was again them, and their venture netted a loss of approximately $50.00 which the Farm Bureau treasury absorbed. The following year they tried again and lost $80.00, which they made up by a farm produce sale.

Realizing that the Fair was too big an undertaking for so small an organization the Farm Bureau Directors and C.J. Ahern, successor to Edwin R. Chamberlain as County Agricultural Agent, organized the Cheshire Fair Association in the spring of 1938. Gilman C Gunn, Keene Real Estate agent, was the first president and George D. Webb of Marlborough and William W. Kingsbury of Walpole were two of the original incorporators of the association. Mr. Kingsbury served as director and clerk of the corporation and Mr. Webb as director and general manager.

With the support of the farmers and merchants of the country the Fair began to grow and improve with experience of the exhibitors and directors.

The first buildings were the cattle shed near the grandstand that were constructed by farmers at the “bee” organized by the County Agent and directors.

In 1946 the Directors of the Fair Association purchased the grounds and buildings from Mr. Safford who had kindly permitted them the use of the grounds for the Fair each year for a very nomial fee. That year the cattle and sheep sheds at the south end of the grounds were built as well as the ofice at the north end, near the gate. The grandstand was repaired and teh Fair really began to “roll”.

A successful Fair has been held each year since 1938 except in 1942 and 1943 when the office of Defence Transportation requested that Fairs not be held as usual to conserve gasoline and transportation facilities.

In 1948 Bolton Hall was built for an exhibit hall and named in honor of Hiram Bolton of Ashuelot. Mr. Bolton has served as Treasurer and General Manager during the three years prior to his passing. He was one of the most ardent boosters of the FAir and gave generously of his time and talents to build the Fair during its roughest years. It was he who supervised the building of the cattle and sheed sheds; and he was very active in planning the exhibit hall that now bears his name, although he did not live to see it completed.

It was in 1951 that a new grandstand was constructed, and a building to house Flowers, Canning, Handiwork, and Food was built in 1952.

The Monadnock Region Association Agricultural Committee undertook in 1952 to raise funds for the construction of a building to house exhibits of the Agricultural youth of the region and this building was completed in time for the 1952 Fair.

In May of 1968 the Association voted to build three horse rings, the original ring to be known as Fitch Ring. The new larger rings as Kingsbury Ring.

In June of 1969 the Red Barn was built. Then in April of 1970 Bolton Hall and Kingsbury Hall were connected by Chet Bradbury.