The Princeton Fair by Maurice Richards

THE PRINCETON NINE

First Row: L to R -- Harold White, Taylor Pike, Porter Pike

Center: Thomas White, Manager

Second Row: L to R -- Archie Bushaw, Hod Bryant, Hod White

Tom Elsmore, Lester Fitch, Edward White

THE PRINCETON FAIR

In 1932, I took a walk to what was once the old fairground.The wire fence that once enclosed the area was buried in the grass and bushes.

At each end of the half mile race track, the outer edge was elevated, this being the only evidence that this had been a fairground. That race track was entirely grown up with trees and bushes.

The grandstand under which one of the churches served meals had fallen and decayed -- the same for the judges' stand and the exhibition building.

The Princeton Agricultural Fair was established in 1885 with Oscar Pike, President; Saunders G. Spooer, Treasurer; Horace Buck, Charles A. Rolfe, and Charles Clark, committee members. The fair flourished for a few years and then petered out.

In or about 1910, the fair was organized under the name of the Princeton Agricultural Society. Irving R. Sprague, secretary for the old fair, was chosen president/secretary.

There was some good horse racing. John Mercier owned a fast horse named Lightfoot. In his last race, Lightfoot broke an ankle on the home stretch. This horse was replaced by Miss Lightfoot.

I remember one large horse that would go the half mile track because the driver couldn't hold it, while the others returned for another start. On the word "GO" this horse would break on the one-quarter, even with another driver, yet it would be first under the wire.

There were two merry-go-rounds, side by side, each playing a different tune. I worked in the secretary's office near the merry-go-rounds and it seemed as though I could hear, "Put on your old gray bonnet", and "When you wore a tulip", all night in my sleep.

Many people came by train and from distant farms. They came by team bringing picnic baskets stowed under their seats.

There were water sports at the fairground bordered the south shore of Lewey's Lake. Porter Pike and Peter Lewey were the cleverest on the log rolling. The greased pole was fastened to a scow and extended over the water. One chap made a running slide barefoot sliding sideways, dropped into the lake and won the pig. There were horse swimming races as well as canoe races. The Indians usually won the latter. Ferd Lawler was clever on the horse swimming.

For an extra attraction one year there was a balloon ascension. The plan was for the man to land or parachute into the lake. He wore a heavy life preserver, but the wind carried him South, and he had to stay aloft until he was over an open field.

Each afternoon of the three days was a good ball game. The baseball diamond was in the midway of the race track. When a good batter was up, he was encouraged by fans to "Lake It" or put the ball over the exhibition building just above the lake shore. This would be a home run with time to spare.

Thomas White, a Civil War veteran was the manager of the Princeton Nine, Lester Fitch and Porter Pike were pitchers, while Harold White and Taylor Pike were catches. Being very tall, Hod White played first base.

The fair did well for about three years, but insufficient stock being sold at the beginning caused the society to run short of funds and finally close. In later years this lake shore property was used by lumber companies.

Article by Maurice Richards

Information collected by Vernon Wentworth and Donna Worden, Princeton Public Library

Others contacted were Alden McPike, from Waite, Mike McDowell, formerly from Princeton, and Rachel Hamilton, a current resident of Princeton.