The history of the Caroline County Agricultural Fair is sketchy. Per accounts in the Caroline Progress, October 1919 was the year of the 2nd fair whose setting was in Bowling Green. It is surmised that the first fair must have been in 1918. Mr. Wickham Coleman, a lifelong resident of the Penola area, recalls as a young child in the 1930’s attending fairs in Bowling Green. Mr. Herb Collins has ribbons he won from entries he had entered in the 1940’s. There the history seems to fade away until 1959 when Mr. Coleman, who was now an agricultural education teacher at C. T. High Smith in Ladysmith and a member of the West Caroline Ruritan Club helped to revive them. The West Caroline Ruritan Club members wished to provide an activity for the community youth, many of whom were 4-H Club members as well as members of the Future Farmer and Future Homemaker organizations in the county schools. The fair would be held at C.T. Smith School alternating with being held at E.P. School [the current home of the Reedy Church Ruritans]. In the early 1960’s the fair finally found a permanent home as the West Caroline Ruritans now had a four acre site on Jericho Road that had been donated by one of their members. During those years the fair was a one day event with tents borrowed from Camp A. P. Hill and the animals housed in pens built by club members. There was even a show ring where the 4-H horse club held competitive events. Most memorable was the food as one of the Ruritan members would prepare for sale his famous “Pronto Pups” known today as corn dogs. What a treat eating a hot dog on a stick! Unfortunately as the face of rural America changed so did interest in participating in a county fair. The last fair the West Caroline Ruritans sponsored was in 1969. Shortly after that the club also disbanded and the fair site on Jericho Road reverted to the original land owner. However, the impact this group had on the youth of Caroline would not be lost. In 1997 the fair was reborn due to the hard work of the Madison Ruritan Club members. The fair was held at Caroline Middle School. In 2002 it was decided the fair should become incorporated and it became a non-profit, 501[c][3] community organization. Of interest is that many of the persons involved in its rebirth were children who had attended the fair in the 1960s. They were the youngsters who had entered home goods, shown hogs and cattle, and had eaten those pronto pups in the 1960s! During the last decade the fair has continued to grow and is now a four day event with multiple vendors, live entertainment and activities for all ages. The Caroline County Agricultural Fair was located at the Virginia Bazaar until 2009 when it moved to its permanent home on the Tate family farm adjacent to the VA Sports Complex. Written by F. W. Whittaker April 2009 Caroline County Agricultural Fair Board and Committee Members Francine W. Whittaker, Trustee,President Heritage Committee Chair 804.448.3752 Wilson Jones, Trustee, Vice President Safety Security Committee Mack A. Wright, Jr. Trustee, Manager Jacque Barham, Trustee, Secretary Community Organizations Chair Marcia Hayes, Trustee, Treasurer Vendor Comm. Chair Tickets/Front Gate Chair 804.448.3199 Mary Benner, Trustee Special Events & Games/Contests Chair 804.448.4872 William J. Benner, Trustee Grounds Committee Co-Chair Wick Coleman, Jr., Trustee Stage/Entertainment Committee Chair George Grampp, Trustee Grounds Committee Co-Chair Audie Hayes, Trustee Sponsor Committee Chair 804.448.3199 Susan H. Jackson, Trustee Agricultural Committee Co-Chair Willis Robertson Safety/Security Committee Chair Jacque Rosenmarkle, Trustee Advertising/Publicity Committee Chair James “Buster” Tate, Jr., Trustee Agriculture Committee Co-Chair 804.572.5344 Herbert Tate, Trustee, Deputy Fair Manager Facilities Management,Website Manager 804-387-2284 Tom Melson, Safety/Security Committee Pat Morris Volunteer Committee Chair Heritage Committee Macine W. Williams Home Goods Committee Chair 804.448.4800 Lynda Tate Midway Sales Committee Chair Facebook Admin Publicity Committee Sylvia Tate Recording Secretary Heritage Committee Publicity Committee Debbie Wright Volunteer Food Chair Dave Cabaniss Trolley Nancy Cabaniss Dog Show Chair Willie Carneal Heritage Committee Sissy Coleman Agricultural Committee Robin Hall Antique/Classic Truck Show Chair Geoffrey Honan Food Sales Chair Susan Sili Heritage Committee Publicity Committee Jeff Sili Heritage Committee Publicity Committee |
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