190 History of Hingham. 



In the year 1864 the success of the society had become so fully 

 established that it was deemed expedient to form a .corporation 

 under the provision of the General Statutes ; this was done No- 

 vember 2. Under the direction of this organization a committee 

 solicited stock subscriptions to raise money to purchase grounds, 

 and to build suitable buildings to accommodate the annual exhi- 

 bitions. More than fifteen thousand dollars were subscribed, — 

 the three largest subscribers being Albert Fearing, David Whiton, 

 and John R. Brewer. 



To secure to the society all the advantages given by the State 

 to incorporated agricultural societies, and to obtain authority to 

 hold the desired amount of real and personal estate, a special act 

 of incorporation was petitioned for, and was granted by the Legis- 

 lature March 27, 1867. Under this act the society has continued 

 its work to the present time (1890). 



During the early part of the year 1867 a lot of land, corner of 

 East and Leavitt Streets, containing about sixteen acres, was pur- 

 chased, which has proved to be admirably adapted for the uses of 

 the society. Upon this lot a spacious building was erected, which 

 measures one hundred feet in length by sixty in width, contain- 

 ing a cook-room in the basement, a large exhibition-hall on the 

 first floor ; also a dining-room of the same size on the second 

 floor. In this five hundred persons can be seated at the tables. 

 A fire-proof room has recently been built on the northwest corner 

 of the building for the safe keeping of the town books. The 

 building is well finished and furnished. Hon. Albert Fearing 

 presented to the society sufficient crockeryware to dine six 

 hundred persons ; also plates enough in which to exhibit the 

 fruit. 



The grounds are well graded, and ornamented with shade- 

 trees. The plan adopted was to let each member, who desired 

 to. set one tree, and see that it was well cared for, — each tree 

 being numbered and recorded on a plan, together with the name 

 of the person who set it. 



The land, buildings, cattle-pens, and other property of the soci- 

 ety, have cost upwards of thirty thousand dollars ; all of which 

 has been paid for — except about two thousand dollars, which the 

 society now owes — by stock subscriptions, profits of a fair, lec- 

 tures, annual exhibitions, rent of hall, and voluntary subscriptions 

 of money. 



The annual exhibitions and the monthly meetings of the soci- 

 ety have brought together those living in different sections of the 

 town, making them better acquainted with each other, and better 

 friends. Regular monthly, and often semi-monthly, meetings have 

 been held since the society was organized. At these meetings 

 papers have been read , touching various agricultural subjects, 

 followed by discussions which were often highly interesting and 

 instructive. 



During the summer season prizes have sometimes been offered 



