County fairs are a long-standing tradition in many cities across the country. Many of their fairgrounds have been around as long, if not longer. For Jefferson County, the Alex Duffy Fairgrounds in Watertown are used for much more than just the fair. In this edition of Your Hometown, Alex Valverde takes you on a tour of the Fairgrounds and tells us about their namesake, a man who was known as Mr. Watertown.
WATERTOWN, N.Y. -- Spanning 67 acres, the Alex Duffy Fairgrounds are home to numerous events in Watertown, and it’s estimated that about 175,000 people come through the area every year. It's considered the biggest recreation area in the city.
“We have the Relay for Life takes place here every June. We have the strongest warrior competition. We have the DPAO events. We do roller derby. We do all kinds of things down here," said Watertown Parks and Recreation Superintendent Erin Gardner.
Residents and local sports teams also take advantage of what the fairgrounds have to offer.
Built in the 1800s, the fairgrounds have undergone many changes throughout the years. A horse-racing track once stood right where the grandstand is.
“Then 1950s to the 70s, there was stock car racing and that really drew in a lot of people from the community," said Gardner.
However, one thing that hasn't changed in almost 200 years is one of the fairgrounds biggest events -- the Jefferson County Fair, the oldest continuously operating fair in the United States. While the fair is only open once a year, it utilizes permanent space on the fairgrounds today.
“The fair administration building, you know, that’s our offices, and then we have an exhibition hall out back that we use during the fair for 4H exhibits," said Jefferson County Fair President Bob Simpson.
Other organizations use the hall for events throughout the year.
Originally named the Watertown Fairgrounds, the named changed to the Alex Duffy Fairgrounds in 1978.
“Alex Duffy was often called Mr. Watertown," said Diana Page Jordan, the Jefferson County Historical Society Executive Director.
Born in 1900, Alex Duffy was a humanitarian, a mason, and well-known member of the community.
“He just seemed to know everybody. He had a really great easy sense about himself," said Jordan. "He would go up to people and moments after meeting them he would reel off their family history. He knew a lot about history.”
He also had a heavy influence on the county fair. For 29 years, he held the title of fair president and is said to have inspired countless people to get involved, and promote this great event. He wanted to make sure it kept its agricultural roots.
“It was his belief that in order to raise the value of livestock and poultry and the rural community, the fair was the best way to do it," said Jordan.
Alex Duffy passed away in 1999 at 99 years old, but his legacy lives on in the minds of everyone who gets the chance to visit and enjoy his fairgrounds. A proper tribute to Mr. Watertown.
If you’d like to know more about the fairgrounds and the facilities they offer, you can visit the Watertown Parks and Rec website.