of Joseph B. Poor, John S. Lawrence and Thomas E. 

 Proctor of Topsfield, and Isaac R. Thomas, Francis R. 

 Appleton and Herbert W. Mason of Ipswich, were ap- 

 pointed to consider and report on the proposition of con- 

 tinuing the fair. These gentlemen worked out a program 

 of development which not only rescued the Society from 

 threatening dissolution, but marked the beginning of 

 a return to its former successful operation of the fair. 



But the fair of 1921! Never will the citizens of old 

 Essex weary of the story of the 100th fair of the So- 

 ciety. "A miniature Brockton show!" exclaimed an en- 

 thusiastic member of the Society to his companion, who 

 replied, "You have said something, and I have been at- 

 tending fairs for over forty years." The suggestion was 

 offered that a fund should be raised by public subscrip- 

 tion to discharge the existing indebtedness. Thereupon, 

 Isaac H. Sawyer, Josiah H. Gifford, Edward Wiggles- 

 worth, Herbert W. Mason and Ralph H. Gaskill volun- 

 teered to solicit and receive contributions, and a sub- 

 stantial sum was secured by them. 



The permanent improvements during the year were: 

 an exhibition hall (50 by 100 feet), one-half mile race 

 track, stable (24 by 100 feet), grand stand, dance pavil- 

 ion (30 by 60 feet), and baseball grounds, and water 

 supply and electric lights were installed. A continuous 

 program was given by demonstrators and entertainers. 

 The race track was indeed an innovation for the staid 

 old Essex society. The horses showed their class before 

 an overflowing grand stand. 



The most valuable service to the Society during the 

 year was that rendered by the President, I. H. Sawyer, 

 who negotiated with the Massachusetts General Hospital, 

 whereby it conveyed to the Society its interests in and 

 to the fair grounds and certain other lands devised con- 

 ditionally in 1856 by the will of Dr. John G. Treadwell 

 of Salem, and the Society released to the Hospital the 

 remaining parcels which it had under the will. The 

 Society now holds a good and clear record title to its 

 valuable and extensive plant covering one hundred acres, 

 which is delightfully located on the Newburyport Turn- 

 pike and within half a mile of the site of the famous 

 Topsfield Hotel, where it was organized in 1818. 



The fair held September 21, 22 and 23, 1922, brought 

 out a record-breaking attendance, and was conceded to 

 be the equal of any in the State. Here was found the 

 traditional county fair with the addition of the best of 

 the modern requirements. 



