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Collin County, Texas, History
GENEALOGY FRIENDS OF PLANO [TEXAS] LIBRARIES, INC.
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OLD SETTLERS' PARK Historical marker, 1997 OLD SETTLER'S PARK SITE OF ALL COLLIN COUNTY FAIRS AND EX-CONFEDERATE- OLD SETTLERS' PICNICS, THIS LAND FIRST HOSTED A FAIR IN 1858. THE FAIR WAS HELD EACH YEAR, USUALLY IN AUTUMN, EXCEPT DURING THE CIVIL WAR YEARS. IN 1883, THE EX-CON- FEDERATE-OLD SETTLERS' PICNIC ASSOCIATION BEGAN TO HOLD THEIR ANNUAL PICNIC ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE OLD FAIR GROUNDS. THEY CONTINUED TO MEET ON THIS SITE, BUYING THE LAD FOR THEMSELVES IN 1912 AND 1924. THE COUNTY FAIR WAS A SHOWCASE FOR AGRICULTURE, LIVE- STOCK, HANDICRAFTS, AND CULINARY DELIGHTS. RIDING COMPE- TITIONS WERE HELD IN THE GRANDSTAND; IT IS SAID THAT FRANK JAMES ONCE WON FIRST PRIZE. AS MANY AS 15,000 PEOPLE A DAY VISITED THE PICNICS IN THE 1910s AND 1920s, MANY CAMPING AROUND THE PARK. POLITICAL SPEAKERS WERE SCHEDULED ALL DAY, AND CON- TESTS INCLUDED THREE-LEGGED RACES AND STORYTELLING. IN EARLY YEARS THERE WERE BALLOON ASCENSIONS; LATER, AN AIR SHOW ASTONISHED THE CROWDS. LIKE THE FAIR, THE PICNIC FEATURED A MIDWAY OF RIDES AND GAMES. THE LAST PICNIC WAS HELD IN 1941, WHEN THE LAST CON- FEDERATE VETERANS IN COLLIN COUNTY WERE TOO OLD TO ATTEND. THE LAST COUNTY FAIR WAS HELD IN 1965, BUT THE PART CONTINUES TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY AS A PART OF THE McKINNEY PARKS DEPARTMENT. Recommended
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Last modified: July 11, 2009 |
