In 1869 it looked grim for the agricultural society and the county fair to continue.

The Daily Times of October 3, 1869 made this observation:

“For a great many years formerly the fairs of the Rensselaer County Agricultural Society were celebrated far and wide as among the best in the state. Indeed, it was claimed by some that they were equal in extent and variety to the exhibitions of the state society, and the prospect appeared to be that so long as a successful county fair was held anywhere it would be in Rensselaer County.

“But somehow the interest in our society began to die out a few years since, and the last few attempts to organize a respectable show of the industry, skill and talent of the county have been little more than abortions, disgraceful alike to the mechanical, manufacturing and farming interests of the county.

“This is the more singular from the fact that elsewhere the county fairs this year have been splendid exhibitions, and have been largely attended by the people. The Washington county fair was a great success; ditto of Albany county but Oneida county does better than all. The receipts of gate money at the last named fair on the opening day were $1,825 – almost double as much as we as received during the........

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