Wattsburg Fair (Erie County)

Wattsburg (Erie County) Fair

History of the Wattsburg Fair
written by Arthur C. Harwood (1984) first published by Gene Combs in the 100th Anniversary
1884-1984 Wattsburg Fair Centennial Issue.     In 1883 and 1884 The Wattsburg Agricultural Society was formed. about 50 acres of land was leased from, at that time, the George Howard farm. some buildings were built; a race track laid out.
    A charter was granted by the state of Pennsylvania in 1884. The first Wattsburg Fair was held in 1883. William W. harwood, my father, was elected the first secretary of the fair.
    The records show that a harwood has been a member of the board of directors since the fair was started in 1883 to the present time.
    The Wattsburg Fair was started by a lot of communtiy and volunteer effort. That effort has continued down through the years.
    The Wattsburg Agricultural Society was chartered as a non-profit organization; all profits to be used for buildings and improvements, and the educational well-being of the society.
    In 1931, the society purchased the fair grounds, which had been lesed for the past 48 years, from different owners, who had owned the lease and farm. The first lease was with George Howard, second lease with Zack Brace, who lived on the farm a number of years, and the third lease with Tom Gilmore, who now in 1931 owned and was residing on the farm.
    In 1938, additional building space was needed for the fair. Thirteen acres were purchased on the north end of the original track, this becoming the north boundary of the fair grounds.
    Several years later the Gilmores sold the rest of the farm to the Rotthoff family.
    In 1946, all the land east from the north boundary to French Creek, back of race track, was purchased from Rotthoff Farm for extra parking space.
    Finally in 1966, an additional 8 1/2 acres south of buildings, on south end of grounds was purchased from Francis Herrman.
    The only building that's on the fair grounds today, built in the first few years of the fair, namely; the old red horse barn, still in use but painted white.
    Who can say what the next 100 years may bring to this community and county; but we do know that as a county fair, it has served the people well in the past 100 years.

Birth of the Wattsburg Fair 1884-1984
from the 100th Anniversary paper published by Gene Combs         In the spring of 1883, as early as the ground was fit for ploughing, seven yoke of oxen and 13 teams, together with 37 men, were gatered together on the French Creek flats near Wattsburg. It was a "ploughing bee", after the good old-fashioned manner of the times, when men banded together to do their work. Somebody cracked a long ox whip, a pair of red steers swayed in their bows, the plowpoint nosed into the rich, soft soil of the creek bottom and the first physical step in the making of the Wattsburg Fair - the ploughing and grading of the race track had been undertaken.
    It was a different looking country in those days, as described by a man who was present at the breaking of the ground, the virgin forest was still fairly plentiful and the whole French Creek Valley was well timbered with tall trees. But Wattsburg was the center of a rich farming district, therefore a fine place for a fair. This had been decided upon the winter previous to the ploughing.
    Mr. A.A. McDannell was on the French Creek flats that morning in 1883 when they broke ground with the ox teams for the Wattsburg Fair.

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