Deerfield Fair History

In the year 1876 Deerfield was a thriving farming community which had come to grips with the dual disappointments of having been bypassed by the railroads and of having missed out on being chosen the capital of New Hampshire.
In a way, it could be said that these two "non happenings" may have been a blessing in disguise for it seems fair to speculate that, had they come to pass, Deerfield would likely never have organized that first fair in 1876, much less continued holding it for the next century.

In his "History of Nottingham, Deerfield and Northwood" published in 1878, the Reverend Elliott C. Cogswell had this to say about the second fair held in Deerfield:

"Deerfield held a fair, September 26, 1877 and showed signs of progress. Her one hundred and thirty-six yoke of oxen, her matched horses, and district teams, or "turnouts" surpassed all ordinary exhibitions. The cows, sheep, swine, poultry, butter, cheese, fruit, corn, wheat, barley, beans, oats, vegetables, flowers, worsted-work and embroidery - showed that the farmers of Deerfield have done wisely in not hastening to the cities because the railroad passed them by "on the other side" have done wisely in throwing aside the poisonous tobacco pipe, and ceased from the liberal use of the cider-mug, and have not allowed their farms to become barren, nor their dwellings to go to decay..."

Just exactly why Cogswell preferred to overlook that Deerfield held a fair in 1876, the nations Centennial, must remain his secret. On the other hand, his mention of the 1877 fair may have inadvertently compounded the common misconception prevalent for many years that Deerfield held its very first fair in 1877. It remained for Mrs. Howard P. King to set the record straight in 1946, duly reported in the local press. As proof she offered an entry in the diaries of her maternal grandmother, Mrs. Joseph C. Cram. According to the diary notation, that the first fair of 1876 produced "very good exhibits" and "a good crowd."