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Inventory of the California State Exposition and Fair Records
F3722, 69-4, 69-39, 79-75
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Title: California State Exposition and Fair Records
Dates: 1858-1973
Collection number: F3722, 69-4, 69-39, 79-75
Creator:
State Agricultural Society
Creator:
Board of Agriculture
Creator:
State Board of Agriculture
Creator:
Board of Directors of the State Agricultural Society
Creator:
Board of Directors of the California State Fair and Exposition
Creator:
California Exposition and Fair Executive Committee
Creator:
Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Exposition and State Fair
Creator:
California Exposition and Fair Corporation
Collection Size:
737 file folders and 900 items
Repository:
California State Archives
Sacramento, California
Abstract: This record group contains the records of various agencies and entities regarding their administration of the California State
Fair and Exposition as well as other fairs and expositions in California.
Physical location: California State Archives
Languages: Languages represented in this collection: English
Collection is open for research.
For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the California State Archives. Permission for reproduction or publication
is given on behalf of the California State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility
for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives
collections.
[Identification of item], California State Exposition and Fair Records, [collection number]:[folder number], California State
Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.
The California State Archives acquired the State Exposition and Fair Records as required by state law.
In 1854 the Legislature created the California State Agricultural Society and authorized it to hold an exhibition of livestock,
manufactures and productions (ch. 51). The 1863 Legislature added a Board of Agriculture to administer the affairs of the
Society (ch. 49). The State Agricultural Society was declared to be a State institution in 1880, but it retained its independent
status as a State board (ch. 60).
A major reorganization took place in 1929 when the Department of Finance took over all the powers and duties of the State
Board of Agriculture and of the State Agricultural Society (ch. 853). A Division of Exhibits was also created. The Society
continued to run the State fair, but a Board of Directors of the State Agricultural Society was established to manage its
affairs, while the Board of Agriculture became an advisory body to the Department of Agriculture, all persuant to the 1929
act. A 1941 law changed the Division of Exhibits to the Division of Fairs and Exposition (ch. 943), and in 1953 the California
State Agricultural Society became the California State Fair and Exposition (ch. 86). In 1963 the Legislature transferred the
Division of Fairs and Exposition to the Department of Agriculture (ch. 1714), and then on to the Department of General Services
in 1965 (ch. 809).
Studies for a "new State fair" had begun in 1946, and in 1963 a new California exposition and fair was created and placed
in the Department of Finance (ch. 1743). Upon its completion the new exposition would replace the old fair. The new exposition
and fair was administered by the California Exposition and Fair Committee (hereafter referred to as CEFEC). CEFEC was a state
institution composed of State elected and appointed officials, some of whom were also members of the Board. With the creation
of the Department of General Services (Stats. 1963, ch. 1786), CEFEC was transferred to it, persuant to (Stats. 1963, ch.
1743). On July 31, 1964, CEFEC contracted with the California Exposition and Fair Corporation (hereafter referred to as CEFCO)
to construct and operate the new exposition and fair on the new American River site. Upon CEFEC declaring the new exposition
and fair operational on June 21, 1968, the Board of Directors, California State Fair and Exposition, was abolished, non-CEFEC
members becoming such, all persuant to the 1963 act. The old fair and exposition, which had continued to operate during the
period in which the new exposition and fair was being constructed, was terminated. Thus, records of the Board of Directors,
California State Fair and Exposition, overlap those of CEFEC and CEFCO from 1964 to 1968.
CEFCO continued in operation until its agreement with CEFEC was terminated Sept. 30, 1968, and CEFCO activities ceased Oct.
31, 1968. CEFEC began direct administration of the exposition and fair Nov. 1, 1968, and continued until its own abolition
and replacement by the Division of Exposition and State Fair, Department of Parks and Recreation, Jan. 1, 1974 (Stats. 1973,
ch. 1152).
This record group contains the records of various agencies and entities regarding their administration of the California State
Fair and Exposition as well as other fairs and expositions in California. The original order of the records has been maintained
as much as possible, but some rearrangement has been necessitated by prior disarrangement. This record group contains administrative
correspondence, meeting minutes, photographs, building drawings, promotional materials, financial files, etc. See the series
descriptions for further details.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
California State Fair and Exposition