Jasper County Fairgrounds

CARTHAGE, MISSOURI

 

 

The Jasper County Fairgrounds was built in 1902 and was located northwest of Carthage on flood prone property owned by Edward Knell.  Thus, it was first known as the Knell Fairgrounds.  The grandstand stood north of where the Econo Lodge Motel currently stands north of Central Ave. and the junction of U. S. Highway 71 and Missouri Highways 96 and 171.

 

This is one of the earliest known photos of the grandstands at the Knell Fairgrounds and was probably taken shortly after it was built in 1902.  Note that there are no dormers on the roof.

 

 

This photo was taken in September of 1905 and shows the racetrack and grandstand as they appeared at that time.  Note that this was the first grandstand with 12 front support posts and no dormers on the roof.

 

 

This photo was taken sometime between 1906 and 1925.  Note that a second covered grandstand had been added on the left side of this photo complete with dormers on the roof.

 

 

This photo was probably taken sometime around 1920.  Note that the roof on the judges stand at far right had already been changed to the less steeply pitched roof that is also visible in the photo below taken in 1926.

 

 

This photo was taken in front of the grandstand in 1926 and shows how it looked at that time.  Note that the name of the fair had been changed to the “Ozark District Fair” and that the roof on the judge’s stand had the less steeply pitched roof than it had in some of the earlier photos.

 

 

It is unclear just when the photo at right was taken.

 

 

 

All of the photographs on this web page are from the Kathy Sidenstricker collection

 

 

 

 

 

Return to the Automobile Races at Carthage, Missouri on August 8, 1930 web page