Taken from the 1890 report, Enos W. Boies, secretary.
"One hundred and twenty-three pair of cattle and steers were exhibited, besides a number of horses, colts, bulls, cows, etc. Thirteen pair were sold for from $112 to $200 each." The next Fair was held October 4 the same year, School-house Hall was used for the exhibition of the usual hall exhibits, and the record says "this show was a decided success".
The holding of shows semi-annually was continued until 1866, since which time the spring shows have been omitted and fairs held only in the fall. Whether this omission has been wise none can tell, for all reports of the spring shows speak of the sales of cattle, and we will remember the goodly number of cattle dealers from abroad that were in attendance.
In this year (1866) was first agitated the question of being chartered as an Incorporated Agricultural Society. This was accomplished in the session of the Legislature of 1867. To obtain the first and needed capital stock many took several shares of five dollars each, and a number of our farmers most interested gave their joint note to the Society as a guarantee to the State that the stock of the Society should be the required amount actually paid in.
The present report marks a quarter of a century of the recognized existence of the Society. While this is true so far as printed reports have been made, yet the actual commencement was in December 1859, in what was then called "The Farmers' Conversational Club", which was changed in 1877 to "Union Agricultural Society". Meetings of this Club were held weekly and the attendance was good. It has a membership of ninety-two of the farmers of Blandford and their sons. The membership fees were twenty-five cents for adults, and minors nothing.
Among those active in the meetings, as well as interested in the future growth of the Society, are to be found the names of many whom we all remember, who have either removed from town or have been called to join that procession which has passed to the silent realms beyond. Of these last many are held in warm remembrance for the interest they had in those of us in our minority, encouraging us to attend and take part in discussions.
This Club called the first show, which was held in the village street, March 21, 1860, a "Market Fair or Sale Day". Of this show the following report is on record:
After being chartered the question of permanent grounds was the main theme; and finally, after viewing various locations, your present grounds were purchased in the fall of 1867, a one-fourth mile track having been put on this land the year previous, by individuals, or, in other words, by the free work of many of our farmers. The wants of the Society were many, and with a small amount of capital it was a question how the Society would succeed. All were in earnest, and lent a helping hand. The officers all served free, and many having premiums awarded, donated the same to the Society. For two years hall exhibitions were held in the old Town Hall; this being some distance from the grounds and inconvenient, in 1869 your present hall was built, and the Society found itself with a debt of $1500. Croakers now prophesied the speedy downfall of the Society. The following year, the horse exhibitors claiming that the track was inadequate, the present track was built, and the debt still further increased to something over $1700. Now, surely, some said, the good and prosperous days of the Society were past, and an incubus was over all that could never be removed. But the same wise and judicious management, that had from its birth watched over it, still continued, and this debt was soon cleared off, and funds began to accumulate.
Other improvements being proposed, were opposed by some; but the time for a definite policy had come, and we well remember the remark made by one of the Society's most earnest friends and workers, which is worthy of repeating here: - "The object of societies like this is not to hoard up funds, and success can only be had in the judicious expenditure from time to time of surplus funds as improvements for the benefit and good of the public present themselves". This course has been adopted by purchasing and moving on to the Society's land the old Town Hall and fitting it up as a barn, by building seats, digging a well, building an addition to the hall, building a new barn, and for sutler and trade purposes erecting buildings for booths, and last by enlarging of your Fair grounds. All this has been done, and you have, it is true, a small debt - less that $500. As in the past you have several times had larger debts, which have been canceled by wise and judicious management, so too, as in the past, this soon will be paid, and still your success will be assured.
--
*
Notes: School-house Hall was the upper room in the present Blandford Historical Society building.
*
The Town Hall mentioned was re-erected from the old meeting house which stood opposite the White Church. It was just to the south of the location of the meeting house.
The Blandford Town Report for the period April 3, 1875 to April 1, 1876 shows a receipts from the Union Agricultural Society for the old Town house - $18.
See map for locations of these two buildings.
"One hundred and twenty-three pair of cattle and steers were exhibited, besides a number of horses, colts, bulls, cows, etc. Thirteen pair were sold for from $112 to $200 each." The next Fair was held October 4 the same year, School-house Hall was used for the exhibition of the usual hall exhibits, and the record says "this show was a decided success".
The holding of shows semi-annually was continued until 1866, since which time the spring shows have been omitted and fairs held only in the fall. Whether this omission has been wise none can tell, for all reports of the spring shows speak of the sales of cattle, and we will remember the goodly number of cattle dealers from abroad that were in attendance.
In this year (1866) was first agitated the question of being chartered as an Incorporated Agricultural Society. This was accomplished in the session of the Legislature of 1867. To obtain the first and needed capital stock many took several shares of five dollars each, and a number of our farmers most interested gave their joint note to the Society as a guarantee to the State that the stock of the Society should be the required amount actually paid in.
The present report marks a quarter of a century of the recognized existence of the Society. While this is true so far as printed reports have been made, yet the actual commencement was in December 1859, in what was then called "The Farmers' Conversational Club", which was changed in 1877 to "Union Agricultural Society". Meetings of this Club were held weekly and the attendance was good. It has a membership of ninety-two of the farmers of Blandford and their sons. The membership fees were twenty-five cents for adults, and minors nothing.
Among those active in the meetings, as well as interested in the future growth of the Society, are to be found the names of many whom we all remember, who have either removed from town or have been called to join that procession which has passed to the silent realms beyond. Of these last many are held in warm remembrance for the interest they had in those of us in our minority, encouraging us to attend and take part in discussions.
This Club called the first show, which was held in the village street, March 21, 1860, a "Market Fair or Sale Day". Of this show the following report is on record:
After being chartered the question of permanent grounds was the main theme; and finally, after viewing various locations, your present grounds were purchased in the fall of 1867, a one-fourth mile track having been put on this land the year previous, by individuals, or, in other words, by the free work of many of our farmers. The wants of the Society were many, and with a small amount of capital it was a question how the Society would succeed. All were in earnest, and lent a helping hand. The officers all served free, and many having premiums awarded, donated the same to the Society. For two years hall exhibitions were held in the old Town Hall; this being some distance from the grounds and inconvenient, in 1869 your present hall was built, and the Society found itself with a debt of $1500. Croakers now prophesied the speedy downfall of the Society. The following year, the horse exhibitors claiming that the track was inadequate, the present track was built, and the debt still further increased to something over $1700. Now, surely, some said, the good and prosperous days of the Society were past, and an incubus was over all that could never be removed. But the same wise and judicious management, that had from its birth watched over it, still continued, and this debt was soon cleared off, and funds began to accumulate.
Other improvements being proposed, were opposed by some; but the time for a definite policy had come, and we well remember the remark made by one of the Society's most earnest friends and workers, which is worthy of repeating here: - "The object of societies like this is not to hoard up funds, and success can only be had in the judicious expenditure from time to time of surplus funds as improvements for the benefit and good of the public present themselves". This course has been adopted by purchasing and moving on to the Society's land the old Town Hall and fitting it up as a barn, by building seats, digging a well, building an addition to the hall, building a new barn, and for sutler and trade purposes erecting buildings for booths, and last by enlarging of your Fair grounds. All this has been done, and you have, it is true, a small debt - less that $500. As in the past you have several times had larger debts, which have been canceled by wise and judicious management, so too, as in the past, this soon will be paid, and still your success will be assured.
--
*
Notes: School-house Hall was the upper room in the present Blandford Historical Society building.
*
The Town Hall mentioned was re-erected from the old meeting house which stood opposite the White Church. It was just to the south of the location of the meeting house.
The Blandford Town Report for the period April 3, 1875 to April 1, 1876 shows a receipts from the Union Agricultural Society for the old Town house - $18.
See map for locations of these two buildings.
