The below History of the Fair is excerpted from chapter 10, “Bloomsburg Fair by Sue R. Dauria. In the Columbia County Bicentennial Book entitled “100 Years of Columbia County Memories 1913 to 2013.” Edited by Robert Dunkelberger, Sam Bidleman and Eric M. Sweeney. A publication by the Columbia County Historical and Genealogical Society, Bloomsburg, PA 2013.
The below is from the book entitled, “100 Years of Columbia County Memories 1913 to 2013.” Edited by Robert Dunkelberger, Sam Bidleman and Eric M. Sweeney. (chapter 10, “Bloomsburg Fair by Sue R. Dauria.) A publication by the Columbia County Historical and Genealogical Society, Bloomsburg, PA 2013.
The Bicentennial History of the Bloomsburg Fair, By Susan R. Dauria, December 2012
2595 words including bibliography and end notes.
A history of Columbia County and Bloomsburg would not be complete without highlighting one of its largest attractions, the Bloomsburg Fair. From its inception in 1855 until 1860, the fair was strictly an agricultural exhibition, initially located at the lower end of Second Street in Bloomsburg (Burris 1979). More than 157 years later it is the largest fair in Pennsylvania. In the centennial history of Columbia and Montour Counties, written in 1915, a few paragraphs were dedicated to discussion of the beginnings of what became the “Columbia County Agricultural, Horticultural and Mechanical Association” (Beers 1915). This association was chartered in 1858 after three years of modest fair exhibits (Whitcomb Fletcher 1940). It was not until the third year that the originators came together to create a charter and provide some structure to the organization. The charter was later amended in 1885 to allow for perpetual membership. From its humble beginnings, the Bloomsburg Fair has grown to become one of Pennsylvania’s most recognized events.
Scheduling
Since 1930, the Bloomsburg Fair has been at the end of September every year. Prior to 1930, the fair was scheduled in October, and was variously placed on the calendar from between two and eight days (Burris 1979). What began as a one-day event increased to a four-day event by 1913.1 Advertisers capitalized on this growth, calling it “The Big Bloomsburg Fair” and “The Great Bloomsburg Fair” as early as the first quarter of the twentieth century. By the years 1917 to 1918, the Fair had grown to such an extent that fairgoers were offered a chance to win an automobile by raffle. The Fair currently runs for eight full consecutive days.
In its early years the Bloomsburg Fair was strictly a daytime event. By 1904 the Irondale Light and Power Company was contracted to light the exhibition building and fairgrounds (Burris 1979). Electric lighting could allow for an extension of the fair celebration into the evening, but it was some time before the fair directors agreed to extend the fair into the evening hours. They fluctuated on their support for an evening fair for several years. It could be speculated that this was due to a reluctance to change the family oriented, wholesome nature of the fair, but records don’t really address why support for the evening fair was not readily embraced.
The year 2011 marked the first time the Bloomsburg Fair was cancelled in its 157 years. The cancellation was due to severe flooding from tropical storm Lee, which damaged large portions of the town of Bloomsburg. Damage sustained from this flood was so significant and occurred late enough in September to make it impossible to recover in time to open the Fair.2 Flooding of the fairgrounds also occurred in 1975, closing the fair a few days early so people could evacuate. Other flooding occurred in 1904, 1936, 1972, 1993, and 1996, 2006 but did not affect the fair dates. There were also fires and one in 1912 occurred due to a lighting strike on a barn, which burned it down completely.3 As with anything that has been in existence as long as the Columbia County Agricultural, Horticultural and Mechanical Associations’ Bloomsburg Fair, natural disasters are part of the landscape. Through it all the Bloomsburg Fair has been able to weather the storm.
Facilities
In the last 100 years, various parts of the Fair facility; including land, buildings, parking lots, gates, grandstands, racetracks, museums, and fences; has been successively constructed, torn down, and rebuilt. The earliest permanent building was constructed in 1859 as an exhibit hall with offices. That same year various sheds and a racetrack were built to remain in place (Burris 1979). Today the Fair is located on land that includes 227 acres of parking for up to 20,000 vehicles, a large racetrack, an arena (177 feet by 95 feet), and a grandstand that can seat 5,400 spectators, as well as numerous permanent buildings. Currently, when the Fair is set up each year, the entire complex is the size of a small town.
Organization
The originators of the Bloomsburg Fair were Caleb Barton, Dr. John Ramsey, B.F. Hartman, William Neal, and I.W. Hartman (Battle 1887, p. 115). The intention of these men was to promote the technology, produce, products, and innovations of the people in the area, particularly in terms of the commerce of the day, agriculture.
By 1913 there were eleven directors of the Bloomsburg Fair, they were: Jacob M. Maust, treasurer; Harry S. Barton, librarian; A. R. Henrie, vice president; Ellis Ringrose, vice president; E.W. Hagenbuch, executive committee; Elliot Adams, executive committee; A. H Yost, secretary; Harry B. Corell, executive committee; A.V. Kressler, vice president; H.J. Pursel, vice president; and Emory D. Hagenbuch, president.4 Presently, 100 years later, the official Bloomsburg Fair website lists thirteen directors with specific duties. They are Paul Reichart president; James Burrows, vice president and treasurer; Rod R. Ralston, secretary; William Barratt, superintendent of police and parking; Jeff Turner, superintendent of ticket collectors; David R. Millard, superintendent of arts and crafts; Scott L. Edwards, superintendent of horticulture; Randy R. Karschner, superintendent of poultry, rabbits and school exhibits; Carey Howell, superintendent of grandstand; Jeff B. Giger, superintendent of livestock; Kenneth P. Carlson, superintendent of agriculture; Tony R. Frazier, superintendent of concessions; John H. Flick, superintendent of horse racing and free entertainment.
The Fair Association is a true community-owned property and membership in the fair association was offered to community members in the 1800s with individual dues of 50 cents a year. Dues increased to one dollar a year by 1901 (Burris 1979), and by 1918 it increased to two dollars. As membership grew it was raised to 20 dollars and then to 50 dollars in 1927. By 1994 there were 1,814 shareholders eligible to vote with 1,858 active shares (Millard 1994, p. 11). It is not possible to purchase a new membership in the fair today, but people can buy fair shares from individuals who are selling theirs.
The Fair has also given back to the community in myriad ways. The Columbia County Agricultural, Horticultural and Mechanical Association has invested in the surrounding community over the years, including charitable contributions to local nonprofits, schools, and other organizations.5
Admission, Attendance and Spending
In the 157 years the Fair has operated, the admission price has changed with the times. It was initially 10 cents to gain admission, which increased to 25 cents in 1912, with an additional 25 cents for horse and carriage. The year 1914 marked the first time that there was a charge for auto parking (Burris 1919). In 1918, admission was 50 cents and by 1959 it was raised to 60 cents and auto parking was one dollar. In 1994 admission was three dollars and car parking was two dollars. By 2004, Fair admission was four dollars and by 2009 it was raised to five dollars. In 2012 it had to be raised to eight dollars to offset expenses incurred for flood recovery the previous year.6 Some community members speculated that the increase was prohibitive and that it would adversely affect attendance. However, Fair attendance did not decrease significantly in 2012 due to the higher admission prices. Attendance has in fact fluctuated over the years and the most significant change in the last 20 years has been a drop of approximately 100,000 since 2005. Average attendance had been between 500,000 and 600,000 from 1991 to 2004.7 From 2005 to 2012 attendance has steadied at around 400,000 total visitors. The overall attendance record was set in 1995 with 698,021 documented fairgoers. It is unclear what has caused the decrease in attendance eight years ago, but some have suggested that it was a result of more accurate measures of documentation at fair-gates.
Predominantly, visitors come from Columbia County to attend the Fair, with the addition of the surrounding counties making up approximately 97 percent of fairgoers (Dauria and Hintz 2011). Surveys have revealed that spending at the Bloomsburg Fair since 2005 has steadily increased and on average males spend more than females (Dauria and Hintz 2010). The average spending for all fairgoers has been between one hundred and two hundred dollars per week as reflected in data from 2006 to 2010.8
Exhibits and the Midway
Exhibits at the Bloomsburg Fair have evolved over the years, in the beginning (1855) there were 20 classes of farm and domestic products on display. Two centuries later the Fair showcases thousands of items and innovations. In the twentieth century there was a push to have young people exhibit their efforts with both animals and school projects. As a result, the twenty-first-century Fair provides many opportunities to demonstrate skills in animal breeding and care, as well as educational, craft, and other opportunities. In 1921, the premium book showing categories for premium prizes and payment, was 70 pages long and represented nine department and 34 classes, paying out 15 cents to 15 dollars. By 1994 the premium book was 143 pages long, showing 24 departments, with 53,501 dollars paid (Millard 1994). In 1928, school exhibits were added as an older exhibit hall was converted for this purpose. Unfortunately, the flood of 1972 caused damage that prevented the building from being used and it was razed. Today, school exhibits are displayed in the permanent Education Building built for this purpose. This large structure (100 feet by 200 feet with air conditioning and heat) is one of five building built to house specific exhibits (not including the animal and barn buildings), along with the Horticulture Building, the Agriculture Building, Arts and Crafts (100 feet by 200 feet) and the Industrial (100 feet by 200 feet) Building. Significant additions to the fair offerings include several historic museums. In 1921, the Barton Farm and thirty-five acres of attached land were purchased.9 This was part of an ongoing expansion of the Associations’ lands and buildings. Local initiatives later converted the Barton homestead into a museum and the Fair became the proprietor of the “only restored house museum in Columbia County” (Brook 1988).
The many amusement-park rides available during the Fair today are provided by Reithoffer’s Carnival. Reithoffer won a contract in 1971, and today it provides more than fifty rides during fair-week, creating an impressive midway in the amusement sections of the fairgrounds. Before Reithoffer’s, the fair used James E. Strates Shows to provide its midway entertainment. Before 1965, Prell’s Broadway Shows, King Reid Shows, and Endy Brothers Shows provided the rides and sideshows. Much of the carnival sideshow entertainment, before 1977, was in the form of freak shows and girlie shows. These types of entertainment have fallen out of favor at community fairs and family carnivals, as they have been deemed inappropriate to modern tastes.
Conclusion
Overall, the Fair has been dedicated to showcasing and promoting developments in agriculture, horticulture, industry, and domestic innovation. It has had a positive impact on the community as it celebrates a history based on agriculture and provides connection to rural life-ways that have been lost to most dwellers of the twenty-first century.
At a time when county fairs are decreasing and becoming less important, the Bloomsburg Fair continues to draw surprisingly large crowds and provides vitality to its community and the state. The Bloomsburg Fair of today includes elements of a carnival, local festival, amusement park, museum, art show, animal show, parade, marketplace, and bazaar. The event includes rides, animals, foods, various exhibits, entertainment, historic displays, and numerous activities (of which there are too many to list).
In the town of Bloomsburg, as in much of the United States, there is a desire to recognize and celebrate what is unique and important to the local community. The emphasis on locally made products and locally grown produce brings us full circle as we again celebrate what makes this area unique. The local Bloomsburg Fair celebration is much different that it was 157 years ago. What started as a modest display in a field on the outskirts of Bloomsburg has grown into a multi-million dollar industry that attracts hundreds of thousands of people every year.
References
Battle, J. H, ed.
1887 History of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania. Publisher A. Warner Company.
Beers, J.H., ed.
1915 Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties of
Pennsylvania, Volume 1. Published by Chicago and Co.
Brook, Susan
1988 Farmer Museum and School House. The Press Enterprise , September 22.
Burris, Emma H.
1979 The Bloomsburg Fair, It Grew and Grew, and Grew 1855 to 1979. Published by
The Columbia County Agricultural, Horticultural and mechanical Association.
Dauria, Susan R. and John Hintz
2010 Report of Bloomsburg Fair Activity: Results of the 2009 Fair Survey: Bloomsburg
Fair and Bloomsburg University Collaboration: Demographic Consumption
Survey: 155th Bloomsburg Fair.” Report submitted to Bloomsburg Fair President.
Dauria, Susan R. and John Hintz
2011 Bloomsburg Fair Activity: Results of 2010 Demographic Survey: Bloomsburg
Fair and Bloomsburg University Collaboration: 156th Bloomsburg Fair.” Report
Submitted to Bloomsburg Fair President.
Millard, David R.
1994 The History of the Bloomsburg Fair, Published by The Columbia County Agricultural, Horticultural and Mechanical Association. Edited by Doug Smith
Whitcomb Fletcher, Stevenson
1950 Pennsylvania Agriculture and Country Life 1840-1940. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Harrisburg.
End Notes:
1. There is information about Fair dates in Emma Burris’s 1979 booklet, “History of the Fair,” and the same information can be found in David Millard’s book, The History of the Bloomsburg Fair. Further information about Fair dates can be retrieved from the website: www.bloomsburgfair.com.
2. The Times Leader, September 14, 2011, “Bloomsburg Fair cancelled” – was retrieved from web archives. There is information on the 2011 flood on the Bloomsburg Fair official website, including photos, and links to relevant news-media sites. News sites report that the damaged sustained in 2011 cost the Bloomsburg Fair over two million dollars and this necessitated the admission price increase in 2012.
3. For more details about fires and other natural disasters suffered by the Bloomsburg Fair, refer to Emma Burris’s “The Bloomsburg Fair,” published in 1979. Some of the same information and updates to 1994, can be found in David Millard’s 1994 update of Emma Burris’s history.
4. Information listing fair directors can be found on the Bloomsburg Fair website, under the heading “fair directors”. Other listings of fair directors for various years can be retrieved from various websites on the Internet and at the Columbia County Historic Society.
5. For more information on the specific organizations that the Bloomsburg Fair makes charitable contributes to -- please refer to Emma Burris “The Bloomsburg Fair” (1979), she identified several organizations including: The Boy Scouts, the Red Cross, The United Fund, the March of Dimes, the Salvation Army and several Hospitals.” Information can also be obtained by contacting the Bloomsburg Fair main office. More information about donations can be obtained from the Bloomsburg Fair office.
6. For more on admission and events, refer to the Columbia Montour Visitors’ Bureau website: “Things to do-- fairs /festivals.” Information for this write up was retrieved Dec 8, 2012.
7. Information on Bloomsburg Fair attendance was retrieved from the Bloomsburg Fair unofficial website, on Dec 17, 2012; www. Harrietscorner.com. Other sources of attendance information are available, see annual reports submitted to the Bloomsburg Fair.
8. Information about fairgoer demographics and spending was retrieved from “The Bloomsburg Fair Project,” which is an ongoing program, created and administered by Dr. Susan Dauria, professor of Anthropology at Bloomsburg University. The project gives students data collection experience while at the same time providing valuable data to the Bloomsburg Fair Association. The data collected ranges from demographic data to qualitative data. Annual Reports have been submitted to the Fair Association and provide more detailed statistics. Contact Dr. Susan Dauria CEH 149 Bloomsburg University, or the Fair office, 602 W. Third Street, Bloomsburg PA 17815, for copies of these reports.
9. The Morning Press, July 30, 1921
The Bicentennial History of the Bloomsburg Fair, By Susan R. Dauria, December 2012
2595 words including bibliography and end notes.
A history of Columbia County and Bloomsburg would not be complete without highlighting one of its largest attractions, the Bloomsburg Fair. From its inception in 1855 until 1860, the fair was strictly an agricultural exhibition, initially located at the lower end of Second Street in Bloomsburg (Burris 1979). More than 157 years later it is the largest fair in Pennsylvania. In the centennial history of Columbia and Montour Counties, written in 1915, a few paragraphs were dedicated to discussion of the beginnings of what became the “Columbia County Agricultural, Horticultural and Mechanical Association” (Beers 1915). This association was chartered in 1858 after three years of modest fair exhibits (Whitcomb Fletcher 1940). It was not until the third year that the originators came together to create a charter and provide some structure to the organization. The charter was later amended in 1885 to allow for perpetual membership. From its humble beginnings, the Bloomsburg Fair has grown to become one of Pennsylvania’s most recognized events.
Scheduling
Since 1930, the Bloomsburg Fair has been at the end of September every year. Prior to 1930, the fair was scheduled in October, and was variously placed on the calendar from between two and eight days (Burris 1979). What began as a one-day event increased to a four-day event by 1913.1 Advertisers capitalized on this growth, calling it “The Big Bloomsburg Fair” and “The Great Bloomsburg Fair” as early as the first quarter of the twentieth century. By the years 1917 to 1918, the Fair had grown to such an extent that fairgoers were offered a chance to win an automobile by raffle. The Fair currently runs for eight full consecutive days.
In its early years the Bloomsburg Fair was strictly a daytime event. By 1904 the Irondale Light and Power Company was contracted to light the exhibition building and fairgrounds (Burris 1979). Electric lighting could allow for an extension of the fair celebration into the evening, but it was some time before the fair directors agreed to extend the fair into the evening hours. They fluctuated on their support for an evening fair for several years. It could be speculated that this was due to a reluctance to change the family oriented, wholesome nature of the fair, but records don’t really address why support for the evening fair was not readily embraced.
The year 2011 marked the first time the Bloomsburg Fair was cancelled in its 157 years. The cancellation was due to severe flooding from tropical storm Lee, which damaged large portions of the town of Bloomsburg. Damage sustained from this flood was so significant and occurred late enough in September to make it impossible to recover in time to open the Fair.2 Flooding of the fairgrounds also occurred in 1975, closing the fair a few days early so people could evacuate. Other flooding occurred in 1904, 1936, 1972, 1993, and 1996, 2006 but did not affect the fair dates. There were also fires and one in 1912 occurred due to a lighting strike on a barn, which burned it down completely.3 As with anything that has been in existence as long as the Columbia County Agricultural, Horticultural and Mechanical Associations’ Bloomsburg Fair, natural disasters are part of the landscape. Through it all the Bloomsburg Fair has been able to weather the storm.
Facilities
In the last 100 years, various parts of the Fair facility; including land, buildings, parking lots, gates, grandstands, racetracks, museums, and fences; has been successively constructed, torn down, and rebuilt. The earliest permanent building was constructed in 1859 as an exhibit hall with offices. That same year various sheds and a racetrack were built to remain in place (Burris 1979). Today the Fair is located on land that includes 227 acres of parking for up to 20,000 vehicles, a large racetrack, an arena (177 feet by 95 feet), and a grandstand that can seat 5,400 spectators, as well as numerous permanent buildings. Currently, when the Fair is set up each year, the entire complex is the size of a small town.
Organization
The originators of the Bloomsburg Fair were Caleb Barton, Dr. John Ramsey, B.F. Hartman, William Neal, and I.W. Hartman (Battle 1887, p. 115). The intention of these men was to promote the technology, produce, products, and innovations of the people in the area, particularly in terms of the commerce of the day, agriculture.
By 1913 there were eleven directors of the Bloomsburg Fair, they were: Jacob M. Maust, treasurer; Harry S. Barton, librarian; A. R. Henrie, vice president; Ellis Ringrose, vice president; E.W. Hagenbuch, executive committee; Elliot Adams, executive committee; A. H Yost, secretary; Harry B. Corell, executive committee; A.V. Kressler, vice president; H.J. Pursel, vice president; and Emory D. Hagenbuch, president.4 Presently, 100 years later, the official Bloomsburg Fair website lists thirteen directors with specific duties. They are Paul Reichart president; James Burrows, vice president and treasurer; Rod R. Ralston, secretary; William Barratt, superintendent of police and parking; Jeff Turner, superintendent of ticket collectors; David R. Millard, superintendent of arts and crafts; Scott L. Edwards, superintendent of horticulture; Randy R. Karschner, superintendent of poultry, rabbits and school exhibits; Carey Howell, superintendent of grandstand; Jeff B. Giger, superintendent of livestock; Kenneth P. Carlson, superintendent of agriculture; Tony R. Frazier, superintendent of concessions; John H. Flick, superintendent of horse racing and free entertainment.
The Fair Association is a true community-owned property and membership in the fair association was offered to community members in the 1800s with individual dues of 50 cents a year. Dues increased to one dollar a year by 1901 (Burris 1979), and by 1918 it increased to two dollars. As membership grew it was raised to 20 dollars and then to 50 dollars in 1927. By 1994 there were 1,814 shareholders eligible to vote with 1,858 active shares (Millard 1994, p. 11). It is not possible to purchase a new membership in the fair today, but people can buy fair shares from individuals who are selling theirs.
The Fair has also given back to the community in myriad ways. The Columbia County Agricultural, Horticultural and Mechanical Association has invested in the surrounding community over the years, including charitable contributions to local nonprofits, schools, and other organizations.5
Admission, Attendance and Spending
In the 157 years the Fair has operated, the admission price has changed with the times. It was initially 10 cents to gain admission, which increased to 25 cents in 1912, with an additional 25 cents for horse and carriage. The year 1914 marked the first time that there was a charge for auto parking (Burris 1919). In 1918, admission was 50 cents and by 1959 it was raised to 60 cents and auto parking was one dollar. In 1994 admission was three dollars and car parking was two dollars. By 2004, Fair admission was four dollars and by 2009 it was raised to five dollars. In 2012 it had to be raised to eight dollars to offset expenses incurred for flood recovery the previous year.6 Some community members speculated that the increase was prohibitive and that it would adversely affect attendance. However, Fair attendance did not decrease significantly in 2012 due to the higher admission prices. Attendance has in fact fluctuated over the years and the most significant change in the last 20 years has been a drop of approximately 100,000 since 2005. Average attendance had been between 500,000 and 600,000 from 1991 to 2004.7 From 2005 to 2012 attendance has steadied at around 400,000 total visitors. The overall attendance record was set in 1995 with 698,021 documented fairgoers. It is unclear what has caused the decrease in attendance eight years ago, but some have suggested that it was a result of more accurate measures of documentation at fair-gates.
Predominantly, visitors come from Columbia County to attend the Fair, with the addition of the surrounding counties making up approximately 97 percent of fairgoers (Dauria and Hintz 2011). Surveys have revealed that spending at the Bloomsburg Fair since 2005 has steadily increased and on average males spend more than females (Dauria and Hintz 2010). The average spending for all fairgoers has been between one hundred and two hundred dollars per week as reflected in data from 2006 to 2010.8
Exhibits and the Midway
Exhibits at the Bloomsburg Fair have evolved over the years, in the beginning (1855) there were 20 classes of farm and domestic products on display. Two centuries later the Fair showcases thousands of items and innovations. In the twentieth century there was a push to have young people exhibit their efforts with both animals and school projects. As a result, the twenty-first-century Fair provides many opportunities to demonstrate skills in animal breeding and care, as well as educational, craft, and other opportunities. In 1921, the premium book showing categories for premium prizes and payment, was 70 pages long and represented nine department and 34 classes, paying out 15 cents to 15 dollars. By 1994 the premium book was 143 pages long, showing 24 departments, with 53,501 dollars paid (Millard 1994). In 1928, school exhibits were added as an older exhibit hall was converted for this purpose. Unfortunately, the flood of 1972 caused damage that prevented the building from being used and it was razed. Today, school exhibits are displayed in the permanent Education Building built for this purpose. This large structure (100 feet by 200 feet with air conditioning and heat) is one of five building built to house specific exhibits (not including the animal and barn buildings), along with the Horticulture Building, the Agriculture Building, Arts and Crafts (100 feet by 200 feet) and the Industrial (100 feet by 200 feet) Building. Significant additions to the fair offerings include several historic museums. In 1921, the Barton Farm and thirty-five acres of attached land were purchased.9 This was part of an ongoing expansion of the Associations’ lands and buildings. Local initiatives later converted the Barton homestead into a museum and the Fair became the proprietor of the “only restored house museum in Columbia County” (Brook 1988).
The many amusement-park rides available during the Fair today are provided by Reithoffer’s Carnival. Reithoffer won a contract in 1971, and today it provides more than fifty rides during fair-week, creating an impressive midway in the amusement sections of the fairgrounds. Before Reithoffer’s, the fair used James E. Strates Shows to provide its midway entertainment. Before 1965, Prell’s Broadway Shows, King Reid Shows, and Endy Brothers Shows provided the rides and sideshows. Much of the carnival sideshow entertainment, before 1977, was in the form of freak shows and girlie shows. These types of entertainment have fallen out of favor at community fairs and family carnivals, as they have been deemed inappropriate to modern tastes.
Conclusion
Overall, the Fair has been dedicated to showcasing and promoting developments in agriculture, horticulture, industry, and domestic innovation. It has had a positive impact on the community as it celebrates a history based on agriculture and provides connection to rural life-ways that have been lost to most dwellers of the twenty-first century.
At a time when county fairs are decreasing and becoming less important, the Bloomsburg Fair continues to draw surprisingly large crowds and provides vitality to its community and the state. The Bloomsburg Fair of today includes elements of a carnival, local festival, amusement park, museum, art show, animal show, parade, marketplace, and bazaar. The event includes rides, animals, foods, various exhibits, entertainment, historic displays, and numerous activities (of which there are too many to list).
In the town of Bloomsburg, as in much of the United States, there is a desire to recognize and celebrate what is unique and important to the local community. The emphasis on locally made products and locally grown produce brings us full circle as we again celebrate what makes this area unique. The local Bloomsburg Fair celebration is much different that it was 157 years ago. What started as a modest display in a field on the outskirts of Bloomsburg has grown into a multi-million dollar industry that attracts hundreds of thousands of people every year.
References
Battle, J. H, ed.
1887 History of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania. Publisher A. Warner Company.
Beers, J.H., ed.
1915 Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties of
Pennsylvania, Volume 1. Published by Chicago and Co.
Brook, Susan
1988 Farmer Museum and School House. The Press Enterprise , September 22.
Burris, Emma H.
1979 The Bloomsburg Fair, It Grew and Grew, and Grew 1855 to 1979. Published by
The Columbia County Agricultural, Horticultural and mechanical Association.
Dauria, Susan R. and John Hintz
2010 Report of Bloomsburg Fair Activity: Results of the 2009 Fair Survey: Bloomsburg
Fair and Bloomsburg University Collaboration: Demographic Consumption
Survey: 155th Bloomsburg Fair.” Report submitted to Bloomsburg Fair President.
Dauria, Susan R. and John Hintz
2011 Bloomsburg Fair Activity: Results of 2010 Demographic Survey: Bloomsburg
Fair and Bloomsburg University Collaboration: 156th Bloomsburg Fair.” Report
Submitted to Bloomsburg Fair President.
Millard, David R.
1994 The History of the Bloomsburg Fair, Published by The Columbia County Agricultural, Horticultural and Mechanical Association. Edited by Doug Smith
Whitcomb Fletcher, Stevenson
1950 Pennsylvania Agriculture and Country Life 1840-1940. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Harrisburg.
End Notes:
1. There is information about Fair dates in Emma Burris’s 1979 booklet, “History of the Fair,” and the same information can be found in David Millard’s book, The History of the Bloomsburg Fair. Further information about Fair dates can be retrieved from the website: www.bloomsburgfair.com.
2. The Times Leader, September 14, 2011, “Bloomsburg Fair cancelled” – was retrieved from web archives. There is information on the 2011 flood on the Bloomsburg Fair official website, including photos, and links to relevant news-media sites. News sites report that the damaged sustained in 2011 cost the Bloomsburg Fair over two million dollars and this necessitated the admission price increase in 2012.
3. For more details about fires and other natural disasters suffered by the Bloomsburg Fair, refer to Emma Burris’s “The Bloomsburg Fair,” published in 1979. Some of the same information and updates to 1994, can be found in David Millard’s 1994 update of Emma Burris’s history.
4. Information listing fair directors can be found on the Bloomsburg Fair website, under the heading “fair directors”. Other listings of fair directors for various years can be retrieved from various websites on the Internet and at the Columbia County Historic Society.
5. For more information on the specific organizations that the Bloomsburg Fair makes charitable contributes to -- please refer to Emma Burris “The Bloomsburg Fair” (1979), she identified several organizations including: The Boy Scouts, the Red Cross, The United Fund, the March of Dimes, the Salvation Army and several Hospitals.” Information can also be obtained by contacting the Bloomsburg Fair main office. More information about donations can be obtained from the Bloomsburg Fair office.
6. For more on admission and events, refer to the Columbia Montour Visitors’ Bureau website: “Things to do-- fairs /festivals.” Information for this write up was retrieved Dec 8, 2012.
7. Information on Bloomsburg Fair attendance was retrieved from the Bloomsburg Fair unofficial website, on Dec 17, 2012; www. Harrietscorner.com. Other sources of attendance information are available, see annual reports submitted to the Bloomsburg Fair.
8. Information about fairgoer demographics and spending was retrieved from “The Bloomsburg Fair Project,” which is an ongoing program, created and administered by Dr. Susan Dauria, professor of Anthropology at Bloomsburg University. The project gives students data collection experience while at the same time providing valuable data to the Bloomsburg Fair Association. The data collected ranges from demographic data to qualitative data. Annual Reports have been submitted to the Fair Association and provide more detailed statistics. Contact Dr. Susan Dauria CEH 149 Bloomsburg University, or the Fair office, 602 W. Third Street, Bloomsburg PA 17815, for copies of these reports.
9. The Morning Press, July 30, 1921
Below -- Aerial photo below – retrieved from the Official Bloomsburg Fair Website –
Dec 18, 2012.
Dec 18, 2012.
Below --Demographic Map below from,“2011 Bloomsburg Fair Activity: Results of 2010 Demographic Survey: Bloomsburg Fair and Bloomsburg University Collaboration: 156th Bloomsburg Fair.” Report submitted to Bloomsburg Fair President by Dr. Susan Dauria and Dr. John Hintz
Chart below from,“2011 Bloomsburg Fair Activity: Results of 2010 Demographic Survey: Bloomsburg Fair and Bloomsburg University Collaboration: 156th Bloomsburg Fair.” Report submitted to Bloomsburg Fair President by Dr. Susan Dauria and Dr. John Hintz