AREA HISTORY:  Borough of York, Fairs, York County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis

Copyright 2005.  All rights reserved.
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History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, Historical Editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
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THE OLD TIME FAIRS – Page 523

When the town of York was laid out in 1741, the privilege of a fair was granted, 
which was to be held twice a year for the sale of cattle, etc.  The early 
inhabitants did not take advantage of this until 1765, when Thomas Penn, then 
lieutenant-governor of Pennsylvania, granted the following charter:

Whereas it has been presented to us that it would be of great service and 
utility to the inhabitants of the town and county of York, that two fairs be 
held yearly in the said town, for buying and selling goods, wares, merchandize 
and cattle; know ye, that we, favoring the reasonable request of the 
Inhabitants, and considering the flourishing state to which the town hath 
arrived through their industry, have of free will granted, and do, by these 
present and succeeding inhabitants of the town, that they shall and may, forever 
hereafter, have and keep in the said town, two fairs in the year, the one of 
them to begin on the 9th day of June yearly, to be held in High Street, and to 
continue that day and the day following; and the other of the said fairs to be 
held in the aforesaid place, on the 2d day of November, every year, and the next 
day after it, with all the liberties and customs to such fairs belonging or 
incident.

This privilege was very gratefully received by the inhabitants, and those semi-
annual gatherings were the liveliest days of the whole year.  Traveling dealers 
in small wares, attended them and disposed of their good on the streets.  Center 
Square was nearly filled with them, and a large part of Market Street.  When the 
town was incorporated in 1787, the legislature continued the right of holding 
the fairs.  The manner and method of holding them degenerated, and on those 
occasions, York became the resort of many objectionable people, so that the 
better classes desired a discontinuance of these gatherings.  Robert Dunn lost 
his life at the autumn fair, October 15, 1815, and at the November court, the 
grand jury declared that the holding of fairs in York was a public nuisance.  
Three persons were convicted of manslaughter by the court for the killing of 
Dunn.  The legislature, on the 29th of January, 1816, ordered that they cease.  
They were, however, held for some years later.