LETTER: Clallam County Fair

Clallam County Fair, 1895, was started to “relieve the doldrums” from the effects of the 1893 depression.

It was the insight of civic leaders Michael J. Carrigan, Major Samuel Crooks, Colonel James S. Coolican and the Clallam County Horticultural Society.

The Democrat-Leader, on July 26, 1895, proclaimed, “The Fair Will Be Held — It was decided to hold a county fair at Port Angeles during the first week in October.”

Clallam County was well represented including past communities such as Rena, Gettysburg, Boston (Mora), Port Williams, and Port Crescent.

There were over 700 entries.

A 1922 article sums up the Clallam County Fair:

“The county fair will be the meeting place of everyone in Clallam County.

It is there that you will meet friends that you have not perhaps seen for years and acquaintances of long ago will be renewed that will make everyone feel better.

To the newcomer, the fair will be of special interest, for there one will see illustrated in a graphic form every phase of industry in Clallam County and they will become better acquainted with the possibilities and the resources of the county in a day than one would in years of residence here.

Every citizen of Port Angeles and of Clallam County will visit the County Fair, look over the varied exhibits, join in the fun and come away a broader and better citizen and a better booster for Clallam, Washington’s fairest county.”

See you 2022 for our 101st.

Laurie Davies

Sequim