HISTORY OF THE PITT COUNTY AMERICAN LEGION AGRICULTURA FAIR

When World War I had ended, the economy began to jump and everyone began to enjoy a brief period of booming prosperity beginning in 1919.  It was about this time that one of Greenville's leading businessmen of the first half of the century, W. Haywood Dail, began thinking in terms of Greenville hosting an annual county fair.  Largely through his efforts; and with an investment reported at that time of almost $100,000, a fairground was purchased.  Exhibit halls and a large race track were built in the area of what is now Guy Smith Stadium on

Memorial Drive. The facilities were claimed to be the finest in the state for a county fair and an enormous amount of publicity was generated concerning the event.  The Daily Reflector began publicizing the fair every day with front-page coverage for nearly two weeks in advance.

On Tuesday, September 21, 1920, the first Pitt County Fair opened with a parade down Dickinson Avenue at 11:00 a.m., and the official opening of the fairgrounds at 12:00 noon with an address by the Honorable F. C. Harding.  After this, the horse racing and auto racing began and exhibits were viewed.  The midway was played by the Krause Greater Shows, which advertised itself as being one of the four largest carnivals in the United States, traveling on 22 railroad cars and carrying 300 people, 20 great attractions, and four of the newest and the most sensational riding devices. The premiums for the first fair were offered through the Greenville Chamber of Commerce and published in the Reflector for one week in advance.

In 2003 Ken Ross was hired as fair manager.  Under his leadership, the following improvements have been accomplished to present:

• Updated electrical circuits in all the buildings
• Began renting the fairgrounds during the year
• Built the Pavilion
• Built equipment barn
• PCC built 3 stages for us
• Purchased 3 bleachers
• Built two new bathrooms
• Installed central heat and air in the offices
• Added a new office and dressing room
• Purchased metal stalls for livestock building
• Paved livestock building
• Entered new contract with midway provider
• PCC built 4 security stands for the midway
• Installed LED lights in the parking lots
• Installed LED lights in all of the buildings
• Purchased two new gators
• Put up new fence at the entrance of the fairgrounds
• Painted Children's Barnyard
• New signage installed
• Updated security
• Purchased new metal cages for chickens