Marshfield Bugle - Marshfield Fair

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October 2007
Marshtleld Veterans' Se|vices
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FairThis club's summer event
attracted people tlom all
over the South Shore ernd
became a place to share agricultural and horticultuuil
ideas and products.
Fairmen & Horses
By Bill Dunn
Forrner Historical Society and
Fziir President Joseph C. Hagar wrote in 1940 in his HisLo_ry,qf Ma{ihf,gld, "For years
luow young and old have
tound at the fairgrounds entertainment that gave them delight and relaxation".
During the Civil War in the
f all of 1862 three men by the
name of Baker, Walker, and
Dingley, were instrumental in
fbrming a Farm and Garden
Group in Marshfield.
This rnay have arisen as a result of a shortage of food
products due to the hardships
o[ war. This same association
r continlled to meet in 1863 and
I I 864 tu discuss questions reI lating to agriculture.
lTh"n at the end of the Civil
I
War in the summer of 1865
and 1866 a couple ofreturning Civil War Veterans and
others formed the South
Marshfield Farmers Club.
(Cont' on page 2)
The Founders would form a
new society in 1867. They
included: Civil War Veterans George Martin Baker
arrcl Colonel Hiram Oakman
and other rnen by the name
of Chandler, Thomas,
Henry, Crosby, Hatch, Kent,
Moorehezid and John Baker.
These Founders folned a
charter and incorpolated ers
the Marsl-rtleld Agricr-rltural
;rntl Hor'l.iculturirl Soc iet y.
Thiit same year the Society
boLrglrt what is now ils ple:ent location which was then
callecl the Wesleyan Meeting House and Lzrnds. Previor"rsly the groups yearly
event was held on the common ln a pine grove by the
First Congr egzrtional Meeting House in the vicinity of
the Training Gleen and present town hall.
Construction of the Exhibition Hall still the centerpiece o1' the tairgrounds
started around 1869 and was
completed in l8l2 by the
same men mentioned erbove.
(Cont' on Pg.7)
Morsh{ield Bugle
Volume
Faif-nesidents
of the fair to around
1900 included: Civil War Veterans George
Martin Baker for the first twenty-five years
and Colonel Hiram Oakman plus William
Wright, John Parks, George Emery and
Walton Hall.
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tions today.
Next time you enjoy
the atmosphere and
aroma of the Fair and
take in the exhibits,
shows, races, games
and food, think of
Horse Racing was by far the most popular
those Civil War Veterattraction at the fair for a century, first with ans and others who
the Sulkies and then with the Thoroughstarted it so long ago.
breds. Perhaps this interest in racing horses
Editor: Best wishes
came about because ten men from
Marshfield served in seven different cavto the new Agrialry regiments including those from MA,
cultural CommisMichigan and U.S. Regulars during the
sion and their
Civil War, More likely it was because life
agenda.
in post Civil War Marshfield could not
have flourished without the aid of horses.
(Presently around two hundred horses are
boarded in Marshfield.)
Like all good things at the close of the
twentieth century horse racing would come
to an end. Horse racing would be replaced
by the popular motorcycle & car thrill
shows, truck and car demolition derbies.
Not entirely forgotten these days are the
larger breeds that still take pafi in a horse
pulling contest and the smaller breeds that
are in grooming shows.
In February 2006, the Selectmen appointed
a new agricultural committee. This nine
member board will promote all aspects of
farming as well as preserving agriculture
thru education. Then, in the summer of
2006, a farmers market opened on Friday
afternoons at the fairgrounds. Local farmers, gardeners, crafters and fishermen provided for sale quality foods and products
for the public to enjoy. Just recently the
spring 2007 Town Meeting voted to approve an Agricultural Commission as a liason among farrners, their neighbors and the
town,
Many of the Fair's Founders mentioned in
this article were also members and officers
in town government, the Grand Army of
the republic, the Masonic Temple, and local churches after the Civil War. Moreover,
their relatives continue those same tradi-