In 1854 the California State legislature, hoping to encourage agriculture and horticulture, established a traveling State Agricultural Fair. In 1857, Stockton, the fourth largest city in the state, hosted the fourth State Fair. It was a grand affair and encouraged the local population to establish their own county fair.
To hold a county fair, the Board of Supervisors set aside $1,000 and with $500 from the Stockton City Council, 60 acres of land was purchased from Captain Charles Weber for $15 an acer. Weber then donated an additional 60 acres to the city in support of the fair.
The first permanent county fair opened in Stockton on August 28, 1860. The fair was held at Hunter Square with large horticultural and mechanical displays and fine arts displayed in the County Courthouse. In addition, neighboring counties also contributed displays. Stanislaus County brought down large amounts of minerals and Sacramento as well as San Francisco shipped their own products.
The fair opened to much success closing every store in Stockton apart from Saloons, and led to the first use of wide scale gas illumination. Included in this fair was a one-mile race track and animal exhibits. One such animal was a Durham bull shipped all the way from New York.
After the success of the first fair, they were held annually until 1902. It was in this year that a fire erupted, burning the pavilion and disrupting public interest. It was not until 1918 that the San Joaquin Farm Bureau Federation formed a committee to hold a livestock show. Plans were put on hold due to World War I, but after its end, a decision was made to hold a county fair in September of 1919.
The old San Joaquin County Fair was held at an agricultural park that was no longer in great condition as such organizers held the 1919 fair at Oak Park. The fair was very successful, earning a profit of $700, which was given to the Board of Supervisors to be used for contests for the rehabilitation of the dilapidated race track. In addition to the work completed at the old grounds, it was decided holding an annual fair was too much for any existing organization and the San Joaquin County Fair, Inc. was created.
While the grounds have held happy memories for many citizens some have not been so grand. In 1942 the fairgrounds were used for the detention of 4,217 residents of Japanese descent until the permanent internment camp was completed in Rohwer, Arkansas. This was completed under Executive Order 9066 in response to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the war with Japan.
Despite the internment, the county fair continued to be held annually with much success. In 1994, the fairgrounds reopened with six major buildings, a grandstand stadium surrounding a mile race track with 750 horse stalls spread out over 252 acres. Due to financial constraints the San Joaquin County Fair was not held in 2014 and 2015 but the local Future Farmers of America (FFA) Clubs were able to continue the tradition of the Livestock Show and Auction through the hard work of the AgFest committee.
Photos courtesy of the Bank of Stockton
Information obtained at the Manteca Bulletin and
the San Joaquin County Farm Bureau Monthly