Albemarle District Fair Is Fun But Agricultural Exhibits Are Lacking, 1919

From The Independent, Elizabeth City, N.C., Friday, Nov. 14, 1919

Elizabeth City Fair a Worthy Exposition. . . But As An Exposition of Agricultural Resources Is a Failure—As Usual

The Albemarle District Fair at Elizabeth City is on a full swing as this newspaper goes to press. As an amusement and entertainment enterprise, it far excels anything ever before staged at Elizabeth city. As an exposition of the agricultural resources of northeastern North Carolina it is a dismal failure. And as for our fisheries resources—they are not even suggested. The farm, orchard, dairy, livestock and poultry exhibits are not as good as those offered by the average community fair in this section.

But there is enough of everything else on the fair grounds this year to keep the crowds interested and amused. The races are good and under the direction of Fred Shreve the horses go according to program. There are no long waits between races, and the enthusiasm of the crowds that watch these races indicate that running races will be a feature of future Elizabeth City Fairs.

The exhibits at this year’s fair are of peculiar interest to farmers. Here the farmer can learn what he wants to know about electrifying is farm and installing water, sewerage and sanitary closets. Electric lights, electric washing machines, electric suction cleaners, fans, irons, etc., are shown in actual operation. The N.C. Board of Markets has an electrically operated potato grader on exhibition, to show the potato farmer how to grade his produce uniformly, quickly and inexpensively. The U.S. Weather Bureau shows how it keeps tabs on the weather for the farmer. The U.S. Department of agriculture with its exhibit covering 4,000 square feet shows the farmer how to treat his woodland, how to build roads, how to drain, how to build modern dairy and poultry houses, grain elevators, etc. Spence & Hollowell Co. are showing the largest line of tractors and farm machinery ever exhibited at a fair in this section.

The amusements for the fair are as advertised. There is the trapeze act in front of the grand stand; the 500 foot slide for life; daylight fire works; balloon ascensions and brass bands. Sibley’s shows fill the midway with an aggregation of carnival attractions. U.S. soldiers and a military band encamped on the grounds to add to the picturesqueness of the scene. The crowds Wednesday and Thursday were greater than ever before assembled on Elizabeth City fair grounds.