The Farmers' Club And Fair Association
The Farmers' Club was also an early organization which did a good work, and
the first farmers' institute was organized about 1873, but was a short-lived
affair. The so-called Fair Association had charge of the agricultural and live
stock exhibits, originally held in and near the courthouse square. The first
regular fair grounds were four blocks south of the courthouse. H. J. Dunlap, now
of Kankakee, who was prominently connected with these organizations in the early
days, says that the Fair Association went out of existence about 1900, and adds:
"The first fair was held in courthouse square in 1852, the first one which I
attended being in 1856. In a year or so ground was purchased for the fair north
of the city, near the new cemetery. I think that fairs were held there until
about 1870 when the old association disbanded, and a new company purchased forty
acres of what is now known as Fairview, or then ground west of the university."
After the disbandment of the old Fair Association, as just stated, the Champaign
County Fair and Driving Association was incorporated on March 3, 1905. The
former fair grounds in Champaign were sold and platted into a city addition
known as Fairland Place, one of the most desirable residence sections of the
city. The new organization procured commodious grounds just north of Urbana, on
which the county fair is held annually. The officers of the association for 1917
are: Fred Rising, president; H. D. Oldham, secretary; Lewis Prather, treasurer.
Source: A Standard History of Champaign County, Illinois, by J. R. Stewart, published by The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago And New York, 1918.