Deerfield Valley Agricultural Society Fairgrounds
Also known as: Memorial Park; Charlemont Fairgrounds
Why it's listed
Set on a plateau above the hill town of Charlemont, these 24 acres once hosted the annual fair of the Deerfield Valley Agricultural Society. The grounds keep three defining features from the fair era: a half-mile dirt racetrack, a two-story exhibition building from about 1889, and a slate-roofed grandstand from 1892. Open space inside and outside the oval was used for temporary tents, corrals, concessions and parking at fair time. The society formed in 1870 because farmers in remote upland towns found it too costly and difficult to move livestock to the county fair in Greenfield. The fair ran from 1871 until 1934, after which the land sat unused, passed to a private owner, and was later conveyed to the town. Today it is a public park. Newer additions, including a demolition derby area, a draw pit, an information booth and a picnic pavilion, are considered noncontributing. The exhibition building and grandstand are described as exceptionally rare survivors in Massachusetts.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the fairgrounds are a rare, little-altered survivor of a late 19th-century farm community exhibition facility once common in Massachusetts. The exhibition building and grandstand are among the oldest and least altered on any Massachusetts county or town fairground. The site is also tied to hill-town agriculture and to community recreation and entertainment.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 11000267, listed May 11, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Park St., Charlemont |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | May 11, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000267 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1871 - 1934 |
| Architectural style | No style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Town-owned public park used for passive recreation such as walking and picnicking; the fair ended in 1934, and the community event Yankee Doodle Days is held on the grounds. The exhibition building exterior was rehabilitated in 2002 and the grandstand in 2005. |
| Acreage | 24 |
| Coordinates | 42.63067, -72.86700 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 11000267.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16955015
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.