Jacktown Fair topic of meeting
WAYNESBURG – The history of the Jacktown Fair was the topic presented by Kayla Burns Patton and her husband, Zack, during the January meeting of the Cornerstone Genealogical Society.
Featured at the first fair in 1866 were horse races, and one winner was awarded a 10-by-12 rug; the next day’s winner won a washing machine.
In July 1866, the Richhill Agriculture, Mechanical and Manufacturing Association was formed and a fair was held three months later.
The fair started with 282 shares of stock and premiums of more than $1,000, which was considerable money at the time.
Some complained premiums weren’t paid because of gambling, but overall the attitude toward the fair was positive.
High wire acts were a popular attraction. As late as 1981, the Wallendas were at the fair (Nic Wallenda was the high wire artist that crossed the Grand Canyon in 2013). Music was a vital part of the fair.
Lawrence Wood of Holbrook and Alverta McClelland of Wind Ridge were married at the Jacktown Fair as a promotion to draw people in, said Zack Patton.
Patton recalled a death at the fair in 1894. A Dr. Miller’s son was run over by a horse and died the next day. He is buried at Fairview Cemetery.
In 1932, there were three hotels in Jacktown – the Pettit, which is still standing today; the Taylor, which is now a playground; and the Bryan Hotel. During the fair, the population of Jacktown greatly increased.
There were never enough rooms for everyone. People slept in hallways and wherever they could find space.
Speakeasies and stables popped up all over town and people would take their vacation in Jacktown to the fair.
Trader’s Alley was a place that piggybacked onto the fair, but it was a rough place.
There was horse trading, gambling, drinking and a man was once killed there.
The Alley was located on Mr. Sayers’ lot and the women of the church finally made a deal with Sayers to plant sugar cane on his lot so there would no place for Trader’s Alley.
Some of the early board members were Ray Burns, Ross Burns, I.O. Dillie, J.E. Dinsmore and A.E. Marsh.
Frank Ross, founder of the Jewel Tea Co. in Chicago, Ill., and a native of Jacktown, paid for the first electric plant to be installed at the fairgrounds.
From the early programs, it is found profits from the fair (if there were profits) went to Richhill Township School.
Cornerstone Genealogical Society’s Feb. 10 meeting will feature Thad Swestyn, who will talk about “Surveying and Genealogy” and the association between the two.