A century of family: How generations shaped the Appalachian Fair

Multiple local families helped create the Appalachian Fair, one of the oldest traditions in the area, passing on the torch to now celebrate 100 years. While the fair has changed names, locations and size over the past century. Its history is largely a story of the families, community leaders and generations who kept it going and helped it grow. The following is a condensed history provided by the Appalachian Fair, drawing from the fair's full historical account. In 1926, several local families established what was then known as the Gray Community Fair. The first fairs were modest, lasting only half a day, but the event continued to grow in the years that followed. Articles from the Johnson City Press Chronicle dated from 1926 credits President of the State Teachers College Dr. C. C. Sherrod, Judge S. E. Miller, Superintendent J. C. Berry and others as some of the first recorded participants of the event. For two years, the fair moved to Johnson City, where it was held in 1929 and 1930 as the Appalachian District Fair. Guy L. Smith, owner of the Johnson City Press Chronicle, sponsored the Johnson City Fair, but the Great Depression eventually brought an end to the event. The fair continued to take shape as a community institution over the years, coming back to the Gray community in 1931. In 1937, the organization was incorporated as the Washington County Fair, with its first board of directors elected. An article from the Johnson City Press Chronicle dated from 1937 states John T. Bickley was the president of the Washington County Fair association at the time. Jimmy Gray, a Civil War veteran and former owner of much of the property, owned 300 acres in the area that would eventually become the fairgrounds. The fair later purchased additional property from the estate of R.N. Brown. In the early 1950s, Washington County Court purchased 13 additional acres in the Gray community, giving the fair its first permanent home. In 1960, the state commissioner of agriculture designated it a district fair, leading to the name Appalachian District Fair. The growing grounds reflected the growing crowds, with the fair having acquired an additional 12 acres, giving it access to roughly 100 acres by 1972. In 1975, the board of directors voted to hire its first full-time secretary-manager. The following year, the Tennessee General Assembly elevated the Appalachian Fair to regional status. The board turned to Niles Gray, a longtime board president, to serve as the fair's first full-time secretary-manager. After Gray's retirement, Richard Shadden took over the position. Shadden, a Washington County commissioner and longtime employee of Kingsport Press Book Manufacturing Co., had been part of the fair's leadership for years. Following his father's death in 1968, Shadden joined the fair's board of directors. He served on several committees and as vice president before eventually becoming secretary-manager. Shadden held the position until his death in 2011, helping guide the fair through decades of growth. Phil Booher was hired later in 1987 and became the third secretary-manager in the fair's history. He continues to lead the fair today. In 1988, the fair purchased another 30 acres from Johnson City. Six acres were developed into an entertainment arena, adding another space for auto thrill shows and other events. More buildings, facilities and improvements followed over the years. A century later, the fair remains what those first Gray families set out to create: a place where agriculture, community and family come together.