Origins of the NC State Fair: From first rides to first ham biscuits, 170 years of history
The North Carolina State Fair first came to Raleigh 170 years ago, and things have changed a lot in that time - including the fair's original locations, both of which have been mostly forgotten over the decades.
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Back then, dazzling lights, fireworks, giant stuffed animals and wacky fair foods weren't yet on the menu. Admission was only 25 cents. Rather than dressing comfortably, men and women donned their suits, dresses and fancy hats to promenade around the proud exhibits that showed off the best of what our state had to offer.
The NC State Fair has survived wars and pandemics – the Civil War, WWI and II, the Spanish Flu and even COVID. During wartime, the fairgrounds served as military hospitals, tank training grounds and military camps for local soldiers.
As you walk through the luminous Midway and past the swirling, musical rides this month, take a quick step back in time and remember the simpler origins of the North Carolina State Fair.
Raleigh considered an 'inaccessible' location for the early State Fair
In 1853, the first NC State Fair was hosted by the State Agricultural Society. It lasted four days, and had around 4,000 attendees on its most popular day – an enormous number of visitors considering the small population during that time period.
The NC State Fair's location in the state capitol of Raleigh was once considered obnoxiously 'inaccessible' to large parts of North Carolina, according to an 1855 write-up in The Weekly Standard. The editor bemoaned "the isolated situation of Raleigh, and its inaccessibility to many portions of the state, and particularly those portions where agriculture has achieved its highest perfection."
However, he hoped once a system of railroads could be fully established, it may become easier for farmers to visit and set up exhibits at the fair.
The writer was especially proud of the Mechanics Hall, which he said created a deep sense of pride in his heart, with its display of buggies, carriages and saddles. He also took stock of the Agricultural Hall and Floral Hall.
Writers from the 1850s considered the very fact that North Carolina had its own state fair as a sign that we had 'caught up' to our sister states in the South and proven our place as an agricultural powerhouse.
The N.C. State Fair gets electricity: The first rides and food booths
Note, however, that despite the rave reviews, none of these old articles made mention of the roller coasters, flashing lights or Midways so well-known and loved by today's fair-goers.
Actually, it wasn't until 1916 that the Cary United Methodist Church served its first ham biscuit at the NC State Fair.
Hidden history of the N.C. State Fair: Two original locations were military camps
"First NC State Fair sponsored by the State Agricultural Society. The fair was held here, October 18-21, 1853. New Bern Avenue and corner of Tarboro Road on site of Dept. of Motor Vehicles.
The fair operated there from 1853 to 1872, with the exception of Civil War years, when the location served as a military training camp. The Fairgrounds Hospital, the first military hospital in North Carolina, was established here in 1861.
The fair was canceled between the years of 1861 and 1868 due to the Civil War and reconstruction period.
Even today, the ghost of the State Fairgrounds old racetrack can be seen in the oval footprint of the rose garden and theater.
During WWI, Raleigh became a national training ground for soldiers, with Camp Polk setting up an Army Tank School at that second location of our NC State Fairgrounds.
The terrain of the land around the second fairgrounds site was ideal for practicing maneuvers in military tanks.
It was during its time at this second location when those first ham biscuits were served – a tradition which has survived through the modern day.
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