ECHOES FROM THE PAST - FAIR HISTORY
In 1898 the second Tobacco Fair was held November 2-4, this year it was called the Piedmont Tobacco Fair. Brown’s warehouse was set apart for the grand exhibits, Farmers and Piedmont for tobacco and Star for the entertainment. The Midway was located on the square between Fourth and Fifth and Church and Railroad Streets. The Fair consisted of numerous attractions and amusements for everyone, they included music, a balloon ascension, bicycle parades and races, horse and livestock parade, horse running and trotting, football from the local University, free concerts, fireworks, and a Tobacco premium sale. On April 6, 1899, Piedmont Park Company was chartered by the State of North Carolina. The Piedmont Park Company Directors appointed committees for the County Fair, which was held at Piedmont Park. On October 24-28, 1899, the Winston-Salem Horse Show, Carnival and County Fair was held. There was an admission fee of 25 cents charged to enter the grounds. The entertainment included free wild west exhibitions, war picture shows, wild west museum, merry-go-round, ferris wheel, and a lot more. There were numerous parades, races and exhibits. The Piedmont Horse Show and Cattle Fair, The County Fair, The Street Fair and Winston’s Semi- Centennial Celebration was held October 30 – November 3, 1900 at Piedmont Park, and surrounding areas. Festivities included Horse racing, a Horse Show, Piedmont Live Stock and Poultry Exhibits, trapeze performer, bicycle trick riders, International Shooting tournament and bicycle races. At the Court- House square the band concerts and around the square were business booths. The Fair was labeled as another great success. The next location of the Fair was on Patterson Avenue near where Woodland Cemetery is now located. Each year the Fair grew bigger and it became necessary to build a new fairground. On May 8, 1908, 28.53 acres of land was purchased. Piedmont Park traded its property, plus 1500 shares of stock for the property. The Fair remained at this location for almost half a century. In late fall of 1908, the Winston- Salem Forsyth County Fair was held at the new Piedmont Park location on Liberty Street. William N. Reynolds helped the Fair expand rapidly in the ‘20’s and ‘30’s. He loved racing, particularly harness racing and he chose the Fair to close out the season every year. His dedication and promotion developed agriculture and his services to the Fair were invaluable and unexcelled. (His death occurred in 1951 prior to the first Winston-Salem Fair being held on the present Fairgrounds.) On August 28, 1942, the Board of Directors approved a resolution that gave the net proceeds from the ’42 Fair to the American Legion for the benefit of the Army and Navy Emergency Relief Fund, and other war relief purposes. The Winston-Salem (Fair) Foundation was established by W. N. Reynolds on November 7, 1944 with Wachovia Bank & Trust Company as the Trustee.
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