Friday, October 9

Local History

Historic Reflection: 1910 – Williams County Fair

By Newspaper StaffOctober 9, 2026No Comments2 Mins Read

1910 Williams County Fair midway, from the Kevin Maynard collection — FAIR … The first Montpelier Union Agricultural Company Fair began in 1886. The Williams County Agricultural Society was organized in 1856 and held its first fair in October 1856 around Bryan’s courthouse square. The Williams County Fair was held in Bryan until 1886. On March 7, 1885, the Montpelier Union Agricultural Company was organized. The company was incorporated by William W. Kunsman, William Clark, Abner K. Brown, Robert Ogle, Frederick H. Fulton and George Hutchins and was financed by selling stock at $10 per share. In 1886, the company purchased 37½ acres on the east side of Montpelier and developed a fairgrounds. In 1886, two fairs were held locally—the Williams County fair in Bryan and the Montpelier fair. According to late local historian Paul Van Gundy, “In 1887 the Bryan community was absorbed in drilling for oil and natural gas, and raising money to get the Mackinaw railroad. Efforts of a few to continue a fair met little support. When no fair was held in the next three years the fairgrounds at the One Mile Bridge reverted, under the terms of the original lease, to the lessees of the property.” Meanwhile, the Montpelier Union Agricultural Company held fairs for more than 10 years. By 1899, the Montpelier fair was a bust, and no fair was held in Williams County that year. The fairgrounds was purchased at sheriff’s sale in September 1899 by J.W. Pew and others, who in turn sold the fairgrounds to the Williams County Agricultural Society on January 4, 1900, for $8,500. In September 1900, what was billed as the “first annual Williams County fair” was held in Montpelier. The Williams County Fair has been held at this site ever since. This circa 1910 vintage image of attendees on the Williams County Fair midway is from the Kevin Maynard collection. Do you have a Williams County Historic photo you would like to share? Email: publisher@thevillagereporter.com.

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