HANCOCK COUNTY — Dee and Jeanette Wickard write, “I am on the Ag Board for Hancock County. We are wanting to get some information on the fairgrounds when it was at the location where the hospital is now, dates it was started and when it was moved to the present place on Apple Street. If there is any picture of the location? That would be wonderful. Also, do you know if there was a fairgrounds before it was at the hospital location? Please email me anything you have. This information will be at a booth that will be set up in the Commercial Building at the time of the fair. We will be showing information on the present location and the future location on U.S. 40. Your help would truly be appreciated.”
The county’s first agricultural society was organized June 1835 at the courthouse. The first county fair took place in 1856 at the east end of the town north of the National Road, probably near the current fairgrounds site. According to the Richman History, the first agricultural association of which we have any records was organized in 1856 for the purpose of holding county fairs. In 1857 the fair was held on the south side of the railroad, east of Brandywine Creek, on land belonging to Samuel Milroy. A fire destroyed the floral hall in 1871. The hall was not rebuilt. The last fair was held at this site in 1879. Boyd’s Grove or the hospital property, north of Greenfield, was chosen Dec. 21, 1885, as the fairgrounds. I find it difficult to go beyond this point.
I hope this helps. Enough. I have told you everything that I know and some things I don’t. Talk to me.
You can write to Joe Skvarenina at [email protected] or in care of the Daily Reporter at 22 W. New Road, Greenfield, IN, 46140.
