www.overtoncountyfair.com
According to information published in 1874, there was held in Livingston an Agriculture Association Fair before the War Between the States. This fair ceased operation during the war and had not been revived in 1874. This fairground was located west of the town at that time on lands now located just north of the present county nursing home on Bilbrey Street. These early fairs were held in connection with horse races. The showing of fine horses was one of the special attractions and the sessions of the fair drew large crowds.
Agricultural and Mechanical Fair
The Overton County Agricultural and Mechanical Fair was organized in Livingston in 1882. This fairground was located in the western part of the town on either side of current Bilbrey Street. The plot for the fair grounds was surveyed in 1883. Col. John M. Barrett was the first president and Hudson S. Estes was the secretary and treasurer. Fairs were held regularly for 19 years at this fairground and were attended by large crowds from Overton and surrounding counties and from Kentucky. The exhibits on display were numerous and represented with credit the agricultural and mechanical development of the county at that time period. The brass bands and fine horses shown were special attractions at these fairs.
An early account of a catalog of the 14th annual exhibition of this fair held on October 1,2,3, 1896 shows the following officers; Elihu Wells president, J.N. Cannon vice president, L.N. Oakley secretary and treasurer, R. A. Dale, general superintendent, the directors were L.D. Bohannon, W. J. Matthews Jr., R. L. Mitchell Jr., Thomas W. Carlock and A. F. Eldridge. John Cook was ticket agent, J.P. Bilbrey and Thomas Richards keepers of the stock gate, J.W. Hall keeper of the ring gate and J.J. Phillips, keeper of the foot gate, the admission was 25 cents.
The Overton County Agricultural Fair
Through the years Overton County has held a number of agricultural fairs in Livingston. These fairs were usually held on the grounds of Livingston Academy with little general plan for the arrangement of the various exhibits and displays. The money for the premium lists of these fairs was usually donated by business men of the town with a small amount of State aid to fairs. The Overton County Agricultural Free Fair was reorganized in 1938 and this fair drifted along for a few years with just the usual amount of support and interest with little shown for a few years during World War II.
New Fair Ground is purchased 1949
The Overton County Court which met in quarterly session in October 1949 voted to appropriate the sum of $12,000.00 to purchase a tract of land, erect buildings and build a grandstand. A tract of land was purchased in South Livingston from Chancellor A.F. Pat Officer and suitable buildings were erected. The first fair at this was held in 1950. One of the special features was the showing of the livestock. Interest in fairs in this county was revived, large exhibits were on display and large crowds attended the sessions. The Overton County court which met on October 8, 1962 voted to sell the fair grounds due to a new fairground being secured. The land was sold to the Cumberland Manufacturing Co. for the price of $7,500.00 as a location for building a new furniture manufacturing plant.
Civitan Club Gives Lands for Fair Grounds (Current Location)
The Livingston Civitan Club presented to the county court on Sept. 6, 1962, a deed to 40 acre tract of land located on the Monterey highway on which to build a county fair. This land had been purchased by Civitan Club from Bradley Qualls in 1961 for the sum of $14,000.00. The Overton County Court voted $25,000.00 in bonds at the April term 1963 to be used in construction of buildings and improving the new fair grounds. A contract was let by this court to Byrd Dillon, a local contractor on the low bid of $16,890.00 to erect a grandstand and other buildings on the newly acquired fairgrounds. The Women’s building was erected in 1972 through the efforts of Mrs. Raleigh Needham and an appropriation by the county court. The horse shows and showing of fine cattle are now and have been the special attractions of this ongoing fair.
Sources for the above information were Ronald Dishman, Robert and Mary Eldridge and others.
For all the details on all fair activities, visit the website at www.overtoncountyfair.com.
