In the 1970’s Bob Raymond, Carleton Foster and Kerry McKernon put together a narrated slide show of the history of the Great Cambridge Fair. Ken Gottry converted the show to DVD and now placed on YouTube.
The photos and narration depict the fair from when it was moved by J. B. Rice from Lake Lauderdale to the north edge of the village in 1890 until its demise shortly after World War II. The floral parade, the airship, the 1890’s auto race with electric cars; it’s all here. The video concludes with a photo of the bandstand and judge’s station as most of us remember the fairgrounds in the 60s.
The video is 20 minutes and is filled with facts.
The narration was written by Bob Raymond, one of our many great historians. If it’s stated in the video, you can be sure of its accuracy. Thanks, Bob.
Kerry McKernon (CCS 1958) had a local radio station complete with a towering broadcast antenna in his backyard (East Main St somewhere, maybe where Doc Pressler had his veterinarian office, today Eric Mattson). The CCS alma mater was written by Harriet King Perry and sequenced by Kerry.
In addition to being a talented craftsman and a super great guy, Carleton Foster was also a collector of local history. The 1931 Fair banner that appears in the video was proudly displayed in Carleton’s woodworking shop on Binninger Road.