16 Vintage Photos That Capture the Magic of Old-School State Fairs
American state fairs go way back. The nation’s oldest state fair was first held in Syracuse, New York, in 1841; since then, people have enjoyed corn dogs and livestock displays at fairs across the country. We took a look at state fair photos from decades past, getting a glimpse into simpler times (and plenty of fried food) in sprawling fields from Vermont to California.
1. ‘Excellent 70s Fashion at the Texas State Fair, 1972’
2. Kids at the Vermont State Fair in Rutland, 1941
3. Driving Up to the Iowa State Fair, 1955
4. Racing Cars at the Delaware State Fair, 1933
5. ‘The Ballard Chefs Jug Band at the Kentucky State Fair in 1935’
6. Heading to ‘Dad’s Club’ at the Michigan State Fair, 1973
7. There Were Plenty of Things To Do at the 1950 Oregon State Fair
8. Can’t Believe We Missed the 1934 Indiana State Fair Cat Show
9. A Snake Charmer at the Michigan State Fair, 1960
10. ‘Dennis Long on His 28th Ride on the Bucking Bronco Machine at the Oklahoma State Fair, 1975’
11. See Teddy the Wrestling Bear at the Vermont State Fair, 1941
12. Creamland’s Dairy Bar at the New Mexico State Fair, 1949
13. What a Musical Guest! The Jackson 5 at the Indiana State Fair, 1973
14. A Giant Slide at the Louisiana State Fair, 1981
15. Sonny and Cher at the Michigan State Fair, 1972
16. ‘Children’s Pushmobiles Ready to Run at the Indiana State Fair, 1933’
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Take a look at 15 Photos of Summer Vacation in the ’70s and 17 Nostalgic Photos of Summer Cookouts. You should also check out 10 Scenes From the Beach That Scream 1980s Summer.