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First Fair
In Albany County Was Called the Agricultural Jubilee
or Ploughboy’s Holiday
The year was 1819 and the event was Sponsored By
The Albany Agricultural Society.
From then until 1892, fairs were held in Albany
and other surrounding towns, such as Bethlehem Center
and Slingerlands.
On August 6, 1892, a public meeting was appointed
to investigate the possibilities of holding the
annual fair at a permanent location in Altamont.
The Altamont Driving Park and Fair Association was
incorporated on May 20, 1893. At a meeting held
on that day, the Board of Directors voted to accept
the plans drawn by Howard P. Foster for a Grandstand
(which would be the first permanent structure on
the fairgrounds) and also instructed him to draw
up plans for a Front Gate. The Board also appointed
a committee to purchase property for the permanent
site of the Fair. The following information was
obtained from the Society’s original minutes
of the meetings of the Board of Directors. Bids
for the construction of the Grandstand and Front
Gate were opened on June 10, 1893 and were awarded
to the low bidder, H. P. Foster, in the amount of
$1,975 for the Grandstand and $115 for the entrance
gate, for a total bid of $2,090. The contractor
was required to have work completed on these two
buildings by August 20, 1893 and to prime them with
linseed oil and yellow ochre upon completion. Although
Mr. Foster was unable to complete the project, the
minutes show that the project was completed on time.
(The original Grandstand is now the Poultry Building
and the two restrooms located on either side of
the Grand Street gate to the fairgrounds are what
remain of the original Front Gate. One of the buildings
was the Secretary’s Office and the other was
the Treasurer’s Office.)
On June 10, 1893 , the Board of Directors also approved
the purchase 24.5 acres of land in Altamont originally
owned by George Severson now held in trust by Isaac
Reamer to be known as the “Altamont Fair Grounds.”
This is the site of the present fairgrounds.
The first fair to be held at the Altamont location
was from September 12 through 15, 1893. Admission
was 25 cents for adults, and the net receipts for
the four days was $884.13. A racetrack was built
in front of the Grandstand, and horse racing was
held at the first fair and continued at the Altamont
Fair until the mid 1990’s.
In 1896 the Board of Directors appointed a committee
to travel to the Cobleskill Fairgrounds to obtain
plans and cost estimates of duplicating Cobleskill’s
two story, 100’ by 80’ Fair Building
to be used at Altamont for the “exhibition
of Domestic, Manufacture Art and Fancy Work and
Fruits and Vegetables.” While they were unable
to obtain a copy of Cobleskill’s plans and
specifications, the committee estimated that they
could erect a a similar building for “about
$2,000.”
On June `6, 1896 the Board accepted the low bid
of $2,146 for the construction of the Exhibition
Hall. The bid included the stipulation that the
contractor uses the best quality of A#1 slate on
the roof. On August 26, 1896 the Board examined
the completed Exhibition Hall and voted to approve
and accept the structure, which thy felt had been
built with “superior workmanship.” This
building is now known as the Flower & Fine Arts
a Building and has recently been named to the State
and National Register of Historic Sites.
In 1897, the Altamont Driving Park and Fair Association
changed its name to the Albany County Agricultural
Society and Exposition. Over the next 20 years,
more property was acquired and more buildings were
constructed, including the Poultry Building in 1899
for $1,322 and a Ladies’ Building (now the
Vegetable Building ) in 1901 for $875.85. Many other
buildings are mentioned in the old minutes can no
longer be recognized.
Auto racing was first held in 1910, when the Fair
held a five-mile race with purses of $25, $15 and
$10 for the first, second and third place winners.
This continued to be an important part of the Fair’s
history for over thirty years. In 1915, automobiles
were entered for the first time to compete for premiums.
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P.O. Box 506, 129
Grand Street, Altamont, NY 12009
phone (518) 861-6671 fax (518) 861-7251
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