Croswell Fair History

HISTORY OF CROSWELL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY

The Croswell Agricultural Society celebrated its centennial year in 1984. Several other fairs existed in Sanilac County but all of them fell by the wayside because of financial problems or lack of interest except for Croswell and Sandusky.

The first fair in Sanilac County was established in Lexington, Michigan, in 1860. Lexington was then the county seat. A tax of 1/10^th of a mill on the dollar of the evaluation of all county property was collected. Two years later the appropriation was decreased to 1/40^th of a mill. Some land on the shore near Lexington was purchased and an Exhibition Hall was built. The Society folded up and the fair was moved to Croswell in 1884.

J.M. Gaige was the first president and A.R. Hoist, the first secretary. A ½ mile track was established and the first race was in 1892.

One of the first rules of the Society was to forbid any person to drive on the racetrack on the Sabbath.

Usually, the fair was held in September or October, so farmers would display produce, stock, grains, vegetables, and fruit from their farms. Housewives entered their baking and needlework.

In 1911, a Grandstand was built, size 22’X72”, to seat 650 persons at the cost of $1000.00.

When the depression came the Society was financially handicapped. However, they struggled through those years, never sacrificing the high quality of exhibits and entertainment.

In 1965, just 3 weeks before the opening of the fair, fire leveled the Grandstand. High winds spread the fire in the wooden structure and it collapsed in just 20 minutes. Temporary bleachers were set up and the fair went on as usual with a fine race program.

The present Grandstand was built in 1966 with a seating capacity of 2200. Two new steel barns were added to the three barns already there and an exhibit building, two offices, and a diner have been added since then.

The Croswell Agricultural Society has flourished because of the hard working people on the board. Very little money was spent for labor, as work meetings exist throughout the summer.

The race track was rebuilt again in 1983 at the cost of $20,000.00 and is considered the fastest fair track in Michigan.

The Croswell Fairgrounds are located at Croswell Road and Harrington Road in Croswell, Michigan.

For more fair information contact us at info@croswellfair.org