I remember My Mom and Dad Talking about The Old fairgrowns. I'm not really sure, but the ground used to be around the Indian Lake area, on the Gold Star Bluv side Where the old greendale YMCA use to be and Norton and Heal beaches.

This was just south of where the original Greendale Y stood. Today if you get on 290 westbound, coming from 190 north, the section where you see Indian Lake is it. It was at the spot just before all the 3 deckers begin. (If you call it a "triple decker", well- you ain't from Worcester.)

Hi There was two fairs in Worcester. The first one was in back of elm park, on Russell st,Agricutural ave . Agricutural ave , and Sever st .If you look at a old map at the Worcester Public Library at about 1895 or 1910 .One was the great worcester fair the other was the new england fair. the one by elm park closed in 1910 was the last fair there. The other fair closed in 1932. I can not find were it was near the on greendal section ?

The fairgrounds were located on what is now the property of Saint Gobain abrasives (formerly Norton Company). The race track was in the area of the current Plant 8 building and the parking lot to its right. If you look at the second postcard you can see several of The Norton Company buildings in the background.

I remember my grandfather who owned a barbershop (Pruneau's) near the fairground and him talking about riding his old indian around the fairgroud.

This is so funny! I was surfing this site, and came across this page. When I read the comments from the second person I thought- "Ah-hah! This guy knows what he is talking about." Then I saw that I am the one who posted it. Yeesh, mustah been a while ago. And the latest comment puts it all together for me. Here is what I think the two images show.... When I was a kid in the late 60s I used to go to the Greendale Y. This was before 190 was constructed and the Y was moved to to the North side of Indian Lake. When I went, (1968-69?), they had just added a brand new wing with a swimming pool. Before that, I was told you used to swim in Indian Lake. And I can remember wandering out behind the Y, wandering along the shore. There was a section, still visable today from the highway, just to the south of where the Y was, as I said before, "before you come to the 3 deckers". And my great aunt and my mother both identified this area to me as "The OLd Fairgrounds", and told me they used to have fairs there. It was, and is, a weed covered lot. Now, to connect that to the images.... The comments about Nortons are spot on! I did not notice this until I read this.... The fairgrounds were located on what is now the property of Saint Gobain abrasives (formerly Norton Company). The race track was in the area of the current Plant 8 building and the parking lot to its right. If you look at the second postcard you can see several of The Norton Company buildings in the background. Written by: Larry Lavallee" Wow! You are right. If you were at the spot I am calling "The Old Fairgrounds", and if it was before I-190 was constructed, that is just what you would have seen. Both images are looking East from Indian Lake! Notice the smokestacks from Nortons. In fact, you can see the same white- colored smokestack in both images. (Keep in mind that postcards from this era were made in Germany from black and white photos- the lithographers in Germany only guessed what the correct colors should be.) Both images are from about the same spot- but not quite. Notice the gas lights in both pics appear to be the same. This is so interesting. Now I want to find out more about "The New England Fair". Sounds like it was a precurser to the Big E which is now held every year in September in Springfield. When was the last time this fair was held in Worcester? Why did it leave? If I had to guess I would have to say it had something to do with the advent of the automobile. Will bookmark this page and come back. Hopefully before I fail to recognize my own comments! ;-) -Steve Fisk http://www.burncoat.com

Just a follow-up to my earlier comments and Steve's questions. The property was probably purchased by Norton Company for exapnsion of their grinding wheel operations. Originally all their plants were located on the northern side of the railroad tracks. I have an aerial photo that shows by the late 1930's they had built on the southern side while the fairgrounds were still in operation. The photo shows the horse track still existing just a few feet from what is known as plant 4. Also a few smaller buildings with horse stalls can be seen alongside the slope that leads up to the tracks. Around 1946 Norton built plant 8 which covered the area where the race track was located. This obviously would have marked the official end to the Worcester Fairgrounds.

Is that the same Pruneau's that has been across from Pinecroft Dairy like forever? When I was a kid I hated to get a haircut and that was a place my mother would drag us. We used to laugh at the name. Like they would "prune your head at Prune-o's". :-)

Here is a link to an old map from 1922 (from WardMaps.com) showing where the fair grounds were. The boundries of the Fair Grounds were: Indian Lake; the railroad tracks next to New Bond Street; West Boylston Street and Mattson Ave. http://www.wardmaps.com/viewasset.php?aid=2176

My grandfather Brackett was one of the founders of this complex. My father, Ray Brackett, was born in the house on the fair grounds and grew up and ran the fair until 1941 when the city of Worcester decided to shut it down. We were living there when I was born but moved shortly to Northboro. I would like to get in contact with someone who can give me more info on the fair grounds and/or find a source of fair grounds history.

So for as long as I can remember there has been the family story that my gr. gr. grandparents were married on a stage and my gr. gr. grandfather wore a cowboy costume. Well after years of searching I found the proof in the Brooklyn Eagle newspaper from 1909. They were the first couple ever married at a New England Fair at Greendale Track. Now the search is on for pictures.

I remember my father (bn 1912) telling me that he got "MOM" tatoo at the Worcester fairgrounds when he was a kid, for 50 cents.He said it was behind Nortons.When coming down rt 12 from Sterling , it is.