From Siamese Twins to Sky Divers
Since 1853, the State Fair’s major attrac¬
tions have ranged far, wide and various.
By BOB WILLS
Hargett Street was jammed with ve¬
il icles of every kind and description
that year — all headed East.
There were farm wagons pulled by
heavy plowhorses and loaded with sim¬
ple folk, children, the harvest, cakes
and pies, hams, jellies and jams, pump¬
kins and more. Ornate carriages drawn
by prancing thoroughbreds picked
their way among those on foot and
their aristocratic passengers peered
through curtained windows.
The Capital City was crowded to
capacity and some said its hotels had
failed to meet the challenge. Every¬
where there was an air of frolic and
festivity.
It was the week of the first North
Carolina State Fair in October, 1853.
Sponsored by the Agricultural Society
of North Carolina, the fair was held
on a 16 acre site 10 blocks cast of
the Capitol. The Motor Vehicles build¬
ing today sits on the same ground.
The First
The first “State Exposition” resulted
from the Society’s resolve to hold a
“cattle show and exhibition of domes¬
tic manufactures,” according to news¬
papers of the day.
The Raleigh Register reported
“nearly every section of the State, and
every industrial pursuit within its bor¬
ders” was represented.
“The East sent its fine staples and
its blooded stock; the West, its splen¬
did cattle and its rich minerals. The
farmer poured in his agricultural
products, the mechanic brought for¬
ward splendid specimens of his skill,
the native artist exhibited the produc¬
tions of his pen or his pencil.
“And the ladies of the State, never
behind in any good work, crowned
the excellence of the whole with the
multiplied beauties which nature had
yielded to their culture and the varied
and tasteful attractions which had
sprung from their handicrafts,” the
Register wrote.
Millie-Christine
At that first fair the major attrac¬
tion was the unusual pair of Siamese
twins, two years old and joined at
their spines.
Known internationally as the “Caro¬
lina Twins,” they had been born in
Columbus County to Jacob and Mo-
nemia, slaves of African descent owned
by Jabez McCoy.
Millie-Christine, as they were called,
were two perfectly developed females,
each with a pair of arms and head.
The body terminated in four legs.
Millie-Christine could walk on two legs
but preferred to use all four.
They toured every country in the
Americas and appeared often before
the crowned heads of Europe. They
returned to the State Fair in 1895 at
the age of 44 and attracted much
attention because of their rich, sweet
voices.
Millie-Christine were accomplished
linguists and their nostalgic singing
was a popular feature. Millie sang
alto; Christine, soprano. Their rendi¬
tions of old time plantation melodies
such as “Old Black Joe” and “Listen
to the Mocking Bird” were famous
throughout the South.
The twins died at 61 years of age
in 1912. They were buried at the edge
of a cornfield near their home in Co¬
lumbus County.
“Orphan” Chicks
By 1895 the Agricultural Society’s
“cattle show and exhibition” had be¬
lt . ■ f
come the main annual event among
rural Tar Heels. They travelled for
several days from the Mountains and
the Coast to compare the fruits of their
farms to learn of new methods.
Chicken incubators were of great
interest that year as people watched
200 eggs hatch at one time. Some
predicted dire results from raising “or¬
phan” chickens. They said it would
leave the mother grieving after those
whom she would have gathered under
her wings, but were otherwise gather¬
ing themselves under the wing of a
patent brooder.
“These chickens may not have any
manners, growing up without any home
training,” reflected the News and Ob¬
server in a less skeptical vein, “But
they will eat well if they do not have
the flavor of the kerosene oil that
helps to hatch them.”
Chicken brooders, however, weren’t
the only items of interest. The news¬
paper also reported, in jest, that it
was keeping a list of those “bald-
headed and grey-headed gents who
visit the ‘tnen-only’ shows.” Some men¬
tion was made of printing the list.
Reunions and Politics
A great reunion of Confederate
veterans was held at the 1903 fair.
Clad in remnants of butternut grey,
their Tanks thinning every year, they
talked of Ft. Sumter, Bull Run,
The Grandstand af the 1884 North Carolina State Fair hod overflow crowds la see the fine
horses and entertainment af the day. Horses ore still a papulor attraction, but so ore Space Age
exhibits.
14
THE STATE, OCTOBER 1, 196B