DUANE
Duane's take
Now, the marker's the one tellin' this tale, and I'm just the voice carryin' it down the road with you. Listen close, because this one's got roots that go all the way back to the dust and promise that settled over Texas after the Civil War. Communities started sponsorin' countywide gatherings — showcasing new farming equipment, bringing neighbors together — and from that humble beginning, county fairs took shape all across the state.
Anderson County got its own in October of 1898, and it didn't take long for this fair to earn itself a name that stuck like sap on a peach tree. They called it the Texas Fruit Palace. That's right — the Texas Fruit Palace — on account of the sheer number of local orchards growin' in that part of the country.
Now that's a name with some weight to it. Front Street was where it all started, but the fair wasn't the kind of thing that stayed put. Over the years it wandered — to a horse track, to the courthouse square — rootin' around for the right home.
Then in 1947, the fair board signed an agreement with the City of Palestine to lease thirteen acres near U.S. Highway 79. Thirteen acres.
Room enough to grow into something. And grow it did. From the very beginning, the Anderson County Fair ran on the honest currency of the land — new farm products, local fruits and vegetables, livestock competitions.
When World War II came knockin', the fair shifted with the times. Home canning and victory gardens moved to the center of things, because that's what was needed. Then the 1950s rolled in and large ranches dominated the landscape, and cattle competitions rose to prominence right along with them.
Vocational agriculture students started entering their livestock, and those competitions became the highlight of the whole affair. In time, they developed into something all their own — the Youth Livestock Show. Now, a fair's got to have more than competition to keep folks comin' back, and Anderson County knew it.
The entertainment circuit brought in a popular carnival and musical show called the Bill Hames Show, and that stage presented names you'd recognize in a heartbeat — Roy Acuff, Hank Williams, and the Drifting Cowboys. Under the same tent as prize tomatoes and prize cattle, some of the finest music in America filled the Anderson County air. The fair itself is closed now.
But here's the thing about something built on real dedication — part of it survives. The Youth Livestock Show is still held every year, out on Highway 287 North, in an arena on land belonging to the Riding and Roping Club. The Texas Fruit Palace may be gone, but the young folks showin' their livestock?
They're still out there. The fair gave them that, and they kept it going. That's the kind of endin' that ain't really an endin' at all.
What the marker says
Soon after the Civil War, communities sponsored countywide activities that featured new farming equipment, and from this beginning county fairs developed. The Anderson County Fair, established in October 1898, became known as the Texas Fruit Palace because of the number of local orchards. Although Front Street was the original location of the Anderson County Fair, other locations have included a horse track and the courthouse square. In 1947, the fair board signed an agreement with the City of Palestine to lease 13 acres near U.S. Highway 79. The Anderson County Fair has always featured new farm products, local fruits and vegetables, and livestock competitions. During World War II home canning and victory gardens became the focus. In the 1950s, large ranches dominated the landscape and cattle competitions became popular. Vocational agriculture students entered their livestock in competitions which became the highlight of the Anderson County Fair and developed into the Youth Livestock Show. Entertainment at the fair featured the popular carnival and musical show called the Bill Hames Show and presented popular musicians like Roy Acuff, Hank Williams, and the Drifting Cowboys. Although the fair is now closed, the Youth Livestock Show continues to be held yearly on Highway 287 North. The dedication of many individuals throughout the years has been credited with the success of the Anderson County Fair. The Youth Livestock Show has survived from the Texas Fruit Palace/Anderson County Fair and is held yearly in the arena on land belonging to the Riding and Roping Club. (2012)