The Eastern States Agricultural and Industrial Exposition was founded more than a century ago to "promote the agricultural and industrial development of the eastern states." Held at the fairgrounds in West Springfield, Massachusetts, the inaugural event was the National Dairy Show in 1916, followed by what would become known as "The Big E," the combined "state fair" of the six New England states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Weathering floods, hurricanes, the Great Depression, and two world wars, it is currently one of the largest fairs in North America, with an attendance of over 1.3 million fairgoers in 2015. With photographs spanning the past century from exposition archives, area residents, and his own collection, author David Cecchi presents a fascinating visual history of what he refers to as "the fair."

Including history of the Centennial from inception to final closing ceremonies, description of the principal buildings, foreign pavilions, booths and state buildings, with their interesting displays, exhibits of resources and products of the nations of the world; the most ingenious devices in Machinery Hall, woman's work in Woman's Pavilion, mineralogical, archaeological and geological collections from all states of the Union, the wonders of the Swiss watch department, the Centennial live stock exhibition, memorial parades and anniversaries of various orders, great state days, awards to exhibitors foreign and American, and numerous other subjects showing the magnitude and character of the New World's Fair, and illustrating the best achievements of human genius, industry and skill from all lands and all peoples.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1876.