Du Quoin State Fairgrounds
National Register of Historic Places

Du Quoin State Fairgrounds

Du Quoin, Perry County, Illinois
Listed
July 10, 1990
Type
District
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
90000719

About this property

The Du Quoin State Fairgrounds are located in the city of Du Quoin in Perry County, Illinois, United States. The fairgrounds are located along U.S. Route 51 north of Illinois Route 14. The facilities include the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack, an oval track that has hosted AAA, USAC and ARCA races since 1948. The fairgrounds are also home to a horse racing track which hosted the Hambletonian Stakes from 1957 to 1980 and the World Trotting Derby from 1981 to 2009. The Du Quoin State Fairgrounds opened in 1923 under the leadership of horse breeder William R. Hayes. Hayes created the DuQuoin State Fair as a parallel event to the Illinois State Fair, which had banned gambling on horse races. To avoid competing for visitors, the Du Quoin State Fair began immediately after the Illinois State Fair closed; the Du Quoin fair traditionally ran through Labor Day weekend. The event was a financial success which attracted prominent entertainers and groups, many of whom also played the Illinois State Fair; the fair consequently became known as Illinois' "little State Fair" or "second State Fair". Du Quoin State Fairgrounds has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since July 1990. It is one of Perry County's two Registered Historic Places; the other, in Pinckneyville, is the Perry County Jail, now a museum.

Location

Du Quoin, Perry County, Illinois
37.98450, -89.22789

Categories

ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Perry County Jail
Industrial
10.8 mi
Sesser Opera House
Industrial
12.2 mi
Grange Hall
Colonial
12.5 mi
Murphysboro Elks Lodge
Civil War
16.2 mi
Liberty Theater
Pre Contact
16.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Du Quoin State Fairgrounds listed on the National Register?

Du Quoin State Fairgrounds was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 10, 1990.

What type of historic resource is Du Quoin State Fairgrounds?

Du Quoin State Fairgrounds is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Du Quoin State Fairgrounds?

The period of significance for Du Quoin State Fairgrounds is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1923.

Can I research the history near Du Quoin State Fairgrounds?

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