The Midland Pennsylvania Railroad, begun in 1910, with plans to connect Millersburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, with Ashland, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, turned out to be a colossal failure. In addition to the two terminal points of the railroad, stations were planned in Killinger, Berrysburg, Gratz, Springville, Valley View, Weishample and Mable. Great plans were formulated for the growth of commerce and farming. Much of the hype was presented in a Harrisburg Telegraph article in 1911. That article is transcribed here in several parts, with part four presented today.
In this part of the story, the history of the Gratz Fair is given.
From the article that appeared in the Harrisburg Telegraph, 16 March 1911:
Gratz Is Known For Its Big Fairs
by Robert F. Gorman
Gratz is well known a the home of the Gratz Fair, one of the few agricultural expositions successfully held far from a railroad.
Thirty-eight years ago the first fair was held and the father of the thirty-six which have since been held is none other than the late Dr. I. S. Schminkey, who reside at Gratz. He was a man deeply interested in the welfare of the section in which he lived. He was known as a man “twenty years ahead of the times.” He was the owner of large tracts of land in the upper end of Dauphin County and believed that he could benefit his town somewhat by donating some of it for fair purposes.
He called a meeting of a number of citizens who advocated a fair and an association was organized. At the meeting he donated a tract of 17 acres, situated in the eastern end of Gratz. The first fair was a success and as the years passed the interest in each succeeding fair increased. Farmers from all part of the Upper End of this county, Schuylkill and Columbia Counties now take their products to the fair.
They are well entitle to do this as the Lykens Valley and the adjoining country can boast of some of the best fruits and vegetables to be found any place. Each year the exhibits are larger and the big show is more extensively patronized. Recently the association acquired several additional acres of ground and before the fair this year several new buildings will be erected.
On the grounds, too, is a regulation half-mile race track and each day of the fair a good racing program is presented. The races are all conducted under the rules of the National Trotting Association.
The members of the present fair board are: President, Harry Smith; Vice President, W. O. Leitzel; Corresponding Secretary, T. S. Klinger; Recording Secretary, J. W. Phillips; Treasurer, J. J. Buffington; Directors, Harry Smith, W. O. Leitzel, M. A. Hartman, J. W. Hartman, Joseph Laudenslager, U. H. Daniel, Lewis Hoffman, Daniel Kebrauch, Charles Hartman, W. O. Rogers, William Hechler, William Kessler, Harry Knouff, George W. Eby, John Geist, T. S. Klinger, J. J. Buffington, Charles Salada, Lewis Wentzler and J. W. Phillips.
The next part of this series will be entitled “History of the Valley and Its Prospects, 1911.”
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News article is from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.