Who put the "Sunshine" in the Schoharie County Sunshine Fair?
That's a good question. It baffles the fair organizers, old and new. Doug Cater, president of the fair's board of directors, said the name started being used sometime in the 1920s. Cater has been involved with the fair for more than 30 years.
Perhaps the name was added to exude an optimistic weather outlook for the fair week, which begins Tuesday in Cobleskill. Historically, attendance has been good at the fair, whether it has been sunny or a day suitable for ducks.
Some may not realize it, but the name was changed two years ago, with Schoharie County replacing the Cobleskill name.
"We kept the name Sunshine in the fair, because by either name, people can relate to it," Cater said. The name was changed because support wasn't only from Cobleskill, but all of Schoharie County.
The present fairgrounds in the village of Cobleskill dates back to 1876. It was Feb. 17 of that year when several public-spirited men met at the former Hotel Augustan, today's Scholet Furniture building, to form the Cobleskill Agricultural Society. They set the dates of their first fair for Sept. 20, 21 and 22 on a tract of the Eldredge property.
This wasn't the first fair in Schoharie County. Early settlement and development was in the eastern part of the county, so the first interest in a fair started in the county seat, Schoharie village. The first event took place at the county courthouse on Oct. 19-20, 1819.
Other county fairs were held in Middleburgh and Cobleskill in the coming decades. Population began to increase in Cobleskill, and interest grew in permanently holding the county fair there.
The Cobleskill Index of Sept. 28, 1876, devoted five columns to the success of the fair. Crowds were immense. "The managers had supposed that they had made ample accommodations for all the exhibitors but it proved that not half the accommodations were provided that was necessary. The defect will be remedied next year."
By the end of the first five years, fair organizers had acquired the basic parcel of land and the right of access to it much as we know it today. They had built a main gate with a secretary's and a treasurer's office building on either side, still in place today. There also was a grandstand that could seat about 1,000 with a half-mile dirt track, also still around with a few modernized features.
On the 10th anniversary in 1886, fairgoers had quite a spectacle when Professor Vanderveer was paid $100 to make a balloon ascension. This proved to be so popular it was continued for several more years.
In September 1901, the first automobile was seen at Cobleskill when it steamed into the fairgrounds. The two-cylinder machine was made in Middleburgh by C.E. Burgett. An exhibition of its performance was given on the racetrack in front of the grandstand.
Although the auto received its share of "oohs and aahs," most people made comments along the lines of "It's a plaything," "It's not practical," and "It will never replace the horse."
Eventually, during the 20th century the fair expanded to a six-day event. That era is coming to an end after this year's fair, as it will expand to a nine-day event starting next year.
Attendance has been growing, Cater said. Many people have been planning their vacations and stay the full week. Back in 1876, only local people attended, but today the fair draws from the Capital Region, Utica and the New York City areas.
A new indoor arena is in the plans for the 2009 edition of the Sunshine Fair.
On Monday: A new game of strategy reached the area in the late 1980s.
City Historian Mark Simonson's column appears twice weekly. On Saturdays, his column focuses on the area during the Depression and before. His Monday columns address local history after the Depression. If you have feedback or ideas about the column, write to him at The Daily Star, or e-mail him at simmark@stny.rr.com. His website is www.oneontahistorian.com.
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