An unused real photo postcard labeled, "12. Birdseye View of Morris, N. Y." The image shows a bit of Hargrave Lake and the fairgrounds including Floral Hall, the grandstand and the track. Looking further at the enlarged version you can pick out part of the old hill and all the new hill at Hillington Cemetery and also the Quaker Cemetery. It is a PHOTO POST CARD on Kodak Paper.
Rennie M Elliott wrote: From the Morris Chronicle - September 1878 - work was being completed on floral Hall. The shape was a cross, ninety by thirty feet either way giving an area thirty feet square in the middle. A capacity of 3,000 persons was estimated figuring an eighteen inch diameter per person. Each wing had four windows, (closed off about twenty years later when the corners were added on, making the building square). A seventy five foot flagpole was raised from the center of the roof. James P. Kenyon oversaw construction of the building and later served as president of the association. In 1885, John L. Winton was in charge of Floral Hall, which boasted a tenth foot high pyramid floral display in the middle of the building.
I guess the facts to consider is that
1. How many 19th century country fair buildings remain anywhere?
2. This is probably the only surviving building erected by the Butternut Valley Agricultural & Horticultural Society.
3. It is the first and oldest fairgrounds structure erected.
