Fairgrounds Heritage Preservation Group

CAPTAIN JOHN RAINS (Pioneer hunter and settler) On Christmas 1779 he led his family and livestock across the frozen Cumberland and settled in this vicinity. In 1784 he built a fort that enclosed the spring 75 yards east. At James Robertson's orders he often led a company of scouts against Indians. His home was on this hill until he died in 1834, age 81.
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/RAINS/2001-05/0989169949
 The John Rains who served in the Cont. Line during the Rev. War received Land Grant No. 5 in 1782, for 640 acres on Brown Creek on Cumberland river...

http://davidsoncocemeterysurvey.com/Cemeteries/M/rains_john_cemetery.htm
JOHN RAINS CEMETERY

 Horse Racing at Cumberland Park Nashville, Tennessee

Racing at Nashville (May 3rd 1878)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/10151046/80681636

Fast Miles at Nashville (October 21st 1891)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/10151929/103344156

Tennesse Breeders' Stakes (January 4th 1901)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/10152213/118459816

Tennesse Breeders' Stakes (January 25th 1903)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/10153734/118491310

Tennesse Breeders' Spring Stakes (January 21st 1904)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/10151437/100480760

There was a racehorse named John R. Gentry who dominated the horse racing world during 1890’s, setting a world record for trotting horses by approaching the two-minute mile with a time of 2:00.25. John R. Gentry died in 1920 at age 32—the oldest noted racehorse in the world at that time—and was buried in the infield of the fairgrounds racetrack.

Sale of John R. Gentry (Feb. 15th 1896)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/12566848/105740573

Timely Trotting Topices (Sept. 7th 1896)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/12566877/106885541

A New Pacing Record (Sept. 11th 1896)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/12566881/108247193

Hal Pointer and others...

Crack Trotters at Nashville (Oct. 12th 1891)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/12566841/103341403

Pacers' Day at Nashville (Oct. 22nd 1892)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/12566852/106088516

Trevellian's Fast Mile (Oct. 16th 1894)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/12566855/106876637

Nashville is Famous in many different ways. During the 1910 Tennessee State Fair,the citizens witnessed the worlds first night-time airplane flight which took off from Cumberland Park. The plane was equipped with automobile headlights. The date was June 22, 1910. Old Cumberland Park is where our Tennessee State Fairgrounds are still located.

Twenty Minute flight last Wednesday night the first night flight. (June 28th 1910)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/11863055/104942312

CHARLES KEENY HAMILTON
1886-1914
http://www.earlyaviators.com/ehamilch.htm

Charles K. Hamilton Tells How to Run an Aeroplane (June 12th 1910)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/12566839/102041025

If you want to know about the history of the Race Track please go check out this web site.
http://savenashvillespeedway.com/

Nashville Speedway PetitionSave 
http://www.petitiononline.com/RaceFair/petition.html

Nashville, TN Fairgrounds Swept By Fire, Sep 1965
http://www3.gendisasters.com/tennessee/6757/nashville-tn-fairgrounds-swept-fire-sep-1965

Devastation of the fire on Sept. 21st 1965: 4-H Building, Woman's Building, Merchant's Building, Grandstand of the Race Track and Administration Building. There was 18 injured, loss about $10 to $12 million and 4 buildings burned to the ground. Cause of the fire could have been faulty wiring in the Woman's Building.

Fair Park a year-round amusement park opens 1952 featuring a Ferris wheel and playground areas for children at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. A new roller coaster (Skyliner) is added in 1965, drawing more kids back to the park and creating many memories for folks who grew up then. In 1991 the Fair Board closed Fair Park.

Cascade Plunge Swimming Pool closes in 1975. The 200-foot-by-80-foot pool drew young and old to dip in it's cooling waters. In the 1950s and 1960s, more than 1,000 people a day often came to the pool.

Here are some the people they have had at the Tennessee State Fair over the years.

Sept 12th 1958 Johnny Mack Brown a Western Star 
The Tennessee State Fair sold out in 1958, 1959 and 1960
Gene Autry was also at the Tennessee State Fair in 1959 with Betty Johnson
JFK was at the Tennessee State Fair in 1960
In 1961 the Lone Ranger was at the Tennessee State Fair