We arrived late Sunday night to my cousin Ross’s place. He rents a roomy house about a mile from his family’s home. The house is large and comfortable — and filled with relics of the 1960s and 70s, like sparkled tile and a push button range. It was so strange to see a home with these features that looked brand new.
After visiting with everyone for a few minutes, I went to bed and slept in the beautiful quiet of the country. I woke up refreshed at about 830a. No one else was about yet, so I went out to explore the barns and out buildings.
Then I spotted some interesting things in an old chicken barn.
Here are some shots of some of the antique items I found just sitting, providing bedding for the rodents.
After everyone got moving, we headed off to town (
Greenup) for some lunch before the fair. We stopped at the
Candy Kitchen, a burger and ice cream place with soda fountain. It originally opened in the 50s, closed in the 60s and dat empty for years. Then a few years ago someone bought an re-opened it. Then, in 2005, it closed again. We found out the day before we got there, that the Grissoms were running it on a six-month contingency and had opened the doors in time for the
county fair. They still make delicious burgers and a mean chocolate milkshake.
The first Cumberland County Fair was in 1889, so this was the 120th year. The fairgrounds were victim to the overwhelming floods that hit the mid-West in the early Summer. In June the grounds were covered by several feet of water.
This image below is a close-up of the top line (marking the 2008 flood) seen in the image above.
Once they receded, hundreds of volunteers and put in several hundred man hours to clean up and repair the grounds and buildings. A casual observer would have never known the difference. There were a couple of the usual food stands that were unable to open because their appliances had been destroyed and they were not able to replace them in time. Still, there was a general pride all around — the Fair must go on!
Monday opened with a slate of thoroughbred races.
The jockey in the black and white silks is Ashley Snedeger, a 17-year old who won three races on the day — the most a female had won on the county fair circuit in recent memory. The accomplishment recalled to the minds of several of the older fair regulars one
Lillian Jenkinson-Holder , who had over 10,000 mounts and 3,000 wins in her decades-long career which began in 1928 — many of them in Greenup. (Jenkinson-Holder was never allowed to race at the para-mutual level, which would have certainly earned her the status of a household name).
We went over to the 4-H barns to view the livestock shows and found a cat show. This consisted of three cats, all of whom lived at home. I think we might bring our own fatty kitty next year…
And the llama show…
Then we headed over to the display halls. You can submit art, crafts and things you have grown or baked. They are put on display in the art hall, floral hall and agricultural hall and are judged on Tuesday. Here are a few of the things on display.
After a quick bite to eat we settled in for the tractor pull. The first of three days and it began with the only part we really care for — the old tractors.
As the first day ends, here are a few more images. Look for day two soon.
