In the 1870s the Lawrence County Fair was held in October. News of the upcoming County fair was frequent in the newspapers.

"The bounty of Lawrence County will be seen at the fair. Ladies don’t fail to bring your fancy work to the fair.  Parents, please buy tickets for your sons so they won’t climb the fence to see. The swings are back. (This was an amusement type ride that had chairs suspended by chains from the top of the carousel and cost ten cents a couple.)   Do not park buggies near the windmill to be erected for pumping water. No gambling will be allowed.  The Fair will start Wednesday and continue Thursday through Saturday Oct 8-11. There will be candy, peanuts and a picture gallery. The family that delivers the most rat scalps to the Secretary of the Fair by noon on the 10th will receive $10, $5, and $1."

John Wm McCleave was the Asst Secretary, Whit Neil, Keeper of the Gate, Henry Corrie, Chief of Police, Perry Lewis, Marshall in Chief of the 1879 Fair.

 Twenty pens had been built for hogs and more were being made. David A Watts of Chauncey raised pure- bred Poland China Hogs and had a long row of pens filled with splendid specimens of this popular breed at several local fairs. He took great care and spared no expense. As a result, he had a wide- spread reputation and supplied distant points with choice pigs. He took the majority of first premiums at all Southern Illinois Fairs. At the Vincennes show he exhibited 20 head of pure Poland hogs.  A nineteen-month-old boar weighed over 800 pounds.

Officers elected for the next year’s 1880 Agricultural fair were Pres: J W Whittaker, VP: W T Buchanan, Secy: D L Gold, Treasurer: E Schmalhausen, Directors: Thomas Kirkwood, Samuel Gillespie, David A Watts, J Edward Black, John P Scott, A J Couchman, James M Truit, J D Utter, James Rosebrough.

A list of premiums won for the 1879 Fair was printed in the Rural Republican. Prizes for different classes of Cattle (such as bull, best herd, best heifer calf, Milch cow etc.) were given to local residents, JC Foster, Jacob Henn, AN Lent, and Lee Rude.  In the horse class (stallions, mares, saddle horse etc.) local residents, J Leonard, Benj. Smith, KB Price, Ed Hardacre, P Crutchfield, Thos Gillespie, JR Francis, Harrison Hardacre and Whit Neff took home prizes.

Those winning prizes for best draft horses were Benj Smith, JR Francis, JS Castle, Wm Morris, DG Burnside and JE Black. Wm Bline, Whit Neff and SI Irwin and Harley Irwin won the best mule contests. For sheep JE Black, AJ Couchman, Jacob Henn, and SI Irwin got the ribbons. For Poland China hogs, JE Black, and DA Watts, took home the premiums. For Berkshire hogs it was L Rude sweeping the prizes. Best wheat went to J Leonard, DA Watts, AJ Gould Jr, JJ Buchanan, TF Hardacre and best corn went to Hiram Hardacre and George Green.   Prizes for best potatoes were given to Thomas England and P Crutchfield. The best peck of tomatoes prize was handed to Mrs. Wm Phillips and DA Watts took first premium for best display of field products. 

And Eugene Ward of Allison twp. took first prize for rat scalps. He exhibited one hundred and thirty-four.