Peterborough in Peterborough County, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)
Agricultural Fair
1800s
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 1, 2024
1. Agricultural Fair Marker
The West Riding Peterborough Agricultural Society Fair had been searching for many years for a larger location to hold the fair, and the closure of the Burial Grounds provided a perfect opportunity for much needed open space. The Agricultural Grounds as the area was known, served as the home of the West Riding Fair from 1867 to 1884. The militia's drill shed (1867) was used for indoor displays, and the park space allowed for large exhibits of machinery. Additional sheds were erected to house horses, cattle, sheep, pigs and chickens.
Livestock competitions had always been popular at the Agricultural Society's Fair and in the 1870s commercial exhibits of new products, such as sewing machines and musical instruments, became a major draw. People also came to hear musical concerts, band competitions, watch military drills and view displays of local artwork, photographs and needlepoint.
In 1884, when the Society's lease on the agricultural grounds expired, Town Council announced it had plans for the site, now very much in the middle of town. The Peterborough Exhibition leased 30 acres of land at the southern end of town from R.A. Morrow in 1885. Now Morrow Park, that site has been the home of the Exhibition ever since. The fence surrounding the old fair grounds was burned, the land was graded and landscaped and Central
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Animals • Entertainment • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1867.
Location. 44° 18.564′ N, 78° 19.276′ W. Marker is in Peterborough, Ontario, in Peterborough County. It is on McDonnel Street just west of George Street North, on the left when traveling west. The marker is located beside the sidewalk, near the northwest corner of Confederation Square. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 499 George Street North, Peterborough ON K9J 7G9, Canada. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Kawarthas Northumberland Area and in Eastern Ontario. It is also in Central Canada. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony, the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, and Ruperts Land.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Capt. Edward T. Brown (within shouting distance of this marker); Pioneer Burial Ground (within shouting distance of this marker); The Citizens' War Memorial (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); Military (about 90 meters away); The Peterborough Armoury / Le manθge militaire de Peterborough (about 120 meters away); Civic Park (about 120 meters away); The Robinson Settlement (approx. 0.2 kilometers away); The Brock Street Burial (approx. 0.2 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Peterborough.
Also see . . . Peterborough Exhibition.
Excerpt: Peterborough(Submitted on November 14, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)has hosted one of the leading fairs in Ontario for over 150 years. During the first four decades of the twentieth century, it was undoubtedly the fourth most important exhibition in the county. While the fair did not run in some years, the continuity of the governing agricultural society remains unbroken. The origins of the society were in 1842; the first fair, 1843.
2. Marker detail: Agricultural Fair ExhibitsA spectacular float [left] decorated by the Horticultural Branch of the Peterborough Exhibition.
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 1, 2024
3. Agricultural Fair Marker
Looking west from Confederation Square, (also known as Central Park). The Peterborough Collegiate building and Peterborough Armoury are visible in the distant background.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 14, 2024. It was originally submitted on November 13, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 158 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 14, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
