Backyard Adventures

The Gibson County Fair has always been a place for family and friends to make memories that last a lifetime. The amazing memories you make at the Fairgrounds in Princeton, Indiana do not only have to happen once a year. Consider making more memories with us by hosting your next event at our new Convention Center opening in July 2017. The convention center features 32,500 sq. ft of indoor mulit-use arena and exhibit space and capacity for 630 people. OTHER OPTIONS INCLUDE: 4-H Exhibit Hall: 350-person capacity, fully finished interior with wraparound patio, 43 Round Tables, 15 Rectangular Tables, Podium with Microphone and Speaker System, and Catering Kitchen. Pavilion: A covered arena perfect for livestock, horse shows, rodeos, car rallies, garden and antique tractor pulls and more. Merchant Display Buildings: Three 4,000 sq. ft. buildings along the Midway Midway: Great for outdoor events Grandstand and Arena: Outdoor seating for up to 2,700 people $7 DAILY GROUNDS ADMISSION FREE FROM AGES 9 AND UNDER JULY 9-16 162nd Annual BOOK YOUR NEXT EVENT RESERVE TODAY! 812-385-3445 or email events@gibsoncountyfair.com Check out all of our facility options at www.gibsoncountyfair.com Friday, July 14 • 8 p.m. FRIDAY, JULY 7 7 p.m. Miss Gibson County and Miss Gibson County Sweetheart Contest at Princeton High School Auditorium SUNDAY, JULY 9 7 p.m. Carnaby Street Stage Live Music with Evan Twitty and Wood & Wire Band 7 p.m. Mud Volleyball 7 p.m. Farmers Pull – Track #2 7 p.m. Lucas Oil Truck and Tractor Pull –Track #1 MONDAY, JULY 10 Military Appreciation Day FREE with ID and Senior Citizen Day $4 7 p.m. Local Public Truck Pull – Track # 1 7 p.m. Mini Rod Pull – Track #1 Southern Indiana Farm Stock Pull – Track # 2 7 p.m. Carnaby Street Stage Live Music with Scott Mason and Band TUESDAY, JULY 11 Kiddie Day – Free Games and More – Noon-2 p.m. 7 p.m. Princess and Mini Princess Contest — Carnaby Street Stage 7 p.m. KOI Drag Racing WEDNESDAY, JULY 12 7 p.m. Antique Tractor Pull – Ag Track 7 p.m. Carnaby Street Stage Talent Show 7 p.m. Motocross Racing Bikes & Quads Presented by MXR Promotions THURSDAY, JULY 13 Family Night $10 Per Car Load or $7 per person 6:15 p.m. 4-H Awards Presentation – Pavilion 6:45 p.m. Livestock Premium Auction — Pavilion 7 p.m. Carnaby Street Stage Live Music with 2 Miles Back Band 7 p.m. Motocross Racing Bikes & Quads Presented by MXR Promotions FRIDAY, JULY 14 7 p.m. Carnaby Street Stage Live Music with Descent 8 p.m. Toyota Concert with William Michael Morgan SATURDAY, JULY 15 7 p.m. Carnaby Street Stage Live Music with Common Ground 7 p.m. DEMO DERBY Presented by: Gibson County Fair Board and A & C Demos Also a Power Wheels Derby for the kids WILLIAM MICHAEL MORGAN $10 track side in front of stage available day of show on a first come first serve basis with paid admission to the fairgrounds SPONSORED BY For full listing of events, visit gibsoncountyfair.com Gibson County Unlimited Ride Arm Bands! One Day Unlimited Ride Arm Bands cost $18 each. Unlimited Three Day Ride Arm Band are $22, good Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday with advance purchase before July 9 only. Rides open at 5 p.m. July 9-July 15 except they open at 2 p.m. on July 11. CONVENTION CENTER COMING IN JULY 2017 mount them on, iron skillets that sold for 12 to 16 cents depending on their size and an eight-cent broom. They also have script, which was used as money in the company store. Because they have about 2,000 visitors a year, Curator Aja Mason or some of his associates will often walk through the company store with visitors and give a his- torical background of various items in the store, and talk about how much they cost. Recently an 85 -year-old former miner walked through the store with his son as Mason talked to him about various items. They shared stories on the significance of various items and relived memories. Mason showed them a Christmas cata- logue from 1917 from the store. "There was only one toy on the list," said Mason. He said in 1917 people were more inter- ested in items they needed to work and survive. Mason also talked about the Greyhound Bus stop sign at the Company Store, which probably leaves most visitors wondering what the Greyhound Bus company has to do with coal mining. He said they were originally known as the Dirty Dog bus lines because they hauled miners to and from town to the mines, before becoming a national busline and changing their name. From the Company Store visitors move onto the main building, which is crammed with everything from miniature excavators the size of a riding lawn mower to giant wrenches to a belt buckle collection and a wooden canary cage. The canary in a cage was an old school methane detector. They have pictures and paintings of iconic shovels and draglines, a modern hard hat collection from vari - ous mines, coal-fired cooking stoves and various memorabilia. One of the interesting things for those whose relatives worked in area mines is a payroll book. Visitors can actually see the pay stubs of their relatives. Mason searched through a 1948 Enos Coal payroll book that had pay stubs of the employees and found my grandfather's pay stub. He made $148 for the two week pay period as a "pit hopper." He had worked 83 hours at a rate of $1.79. His withholding tax was $5.90 and Social Security tax was $1.49. Those viewing the book have a chance see names of relatives or friends they rec - ognize. Several of the other exhibits such as the belt buckle collection or hard hats or a union roster will bring back memories. The museum was founded in 1985. There is no admission charged as the museum operates off donations. It is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays and closed on Wednesdays from April 1 to October 31. Winter hours from November 1 to March 31 are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday and Saturdays. They have a few annual events such as the Memorial Day weekend yard sale that runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday through Sunday, a Toy Show on a Saturday in July, and Collector's Days on a Saturday and Sunday in September. Mason said he got involved with the museum after some of the guys who started it developed health problems and needed help. "I started helping with it and I just couldn't stop. It gets to you," said Mason. Aja Mason, Curator of the Museum of the Coal Industry, stands in front of Tinker, an electric-diesel train engine. 2B PIKE PUBLISHING BACKYARD ADVENTURES 2017

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