02 North Texas State Fair
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Since 1928 North Texas State Fair & Rodeo The Texas Historical Commission (THC) has recognized the North Texas State Fair and Rodeo as a significant part of Texas history by awarding it an Official Texas Historical Marker. The designation honors the 84-year-old North Texas State Fair and Rodeo as an important and educational part of the history of farming and ranching in Denton County and surrounding areas. A dedication ceremony to commemorate the event was held at the North Texas State Fair on Aug. 8 at 2217 N. Carroll Blvd. in Denton. The ceremony was sponsored by the North Texas State Fair (NTSF) Association and Denton County Historical Commission (DCHC). Speakers for the included Denton County Judge Mary Horn, State Representative
Myra Crownover and NTSF Association President Carl Anderson. Glenn Carlton, Executive Director of the North Texas State Fair and Rodeo, was instrumental in obtaining the THC historical marker, bringing public awareness to the economic and cultural significance of the annual fair. DCHC Certificates of Commendation in recognition of leadership in the development of the fair and efforts that led to the placement of the state marker was presented to William Allen, Carl Anderson, Ken Burdick (presented posthumously), Glenn Carlton, Nanci Kimmey, R.D. Martin, James Roden, Kim Wendt and the Board of Directors of the North Texas State Fair Association. The THC subject marker was sponsored by the NTSF
Association. All THC marker applications are submitted to the state through local county historical commissions. During the marker process,
DCHC Marker Committee Chairwoman Beth Stribling worked with Nanci Kimmey, NTSF executive assistant and Kim Wendt, University of North Texas student intern who researched and wrote the historical narrative for the application. The historical narrative will be placed in THC’s archives in Austin and the DCHC research files in the Denton County Courthouse on the Square. The 2011 marker application was submitted to THC in the fall of 2010 and was approved by THC Commissioners in January 2011. The NTSF began as the Denton County Fair in 1928, organized by the Denton County Fair Association and chartered in 1930. In 1958, the fair was
renamed North Texas State Fair. In 1961, the name of the corporation “Denton County Agricultural Fair Association” was changed to “North Texas State Fair Association.” James Roden was the first paid executive director and served from 1983 to 2000. He was followed by Ken Burdick who served from 1999-2005. Glenn Carlton was named executive director in 2005. In 1989, the fair association began to move beyond the local cowboy competition and brought the first Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) rodeo to the fair. The fair was called the North Texas State Fair and Rodeo to promote the addition of the professional rodeo activities. See MARKER on 7