Livestock Heritage
Serving a Nation

[breed standards.]

PICTURED: A glimpse of breed standards created by W. Layman, 1911.


This exhibition has been displayed at the following sites: Calhoun County Fair, Marshall, Michigan; Eastern States Exposition, West Springfield, MA; Genessee County Fair, Mt. Morris, MI; Hillsdale County Fair, Hillsdale, MI; Houghton County Fair, Hancock, MI; Kensington Farm Center, Milford, MI; Marquette County Fair, Skandia, MI; Monroe County Fair, Monroe, MI; MSU Extension Conference/Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI; Ohio State Fair, Reynoldsburg, OH; Orange County Fair, Costa Mesa, CA; St. Joseph County Grange Fair, Centreville, MI; Southwestern Michigan College Museum, Dowagiac, MI; Upper Peninsula State Fair, Escanaba, MI


Fairs have always been a change agent, shaping agricultural products and refining the techniques that create them. Early fairs were a particularly useful tool for livestock breeders, inspiring and challenging them to improve the quality and quantity of our food supply. Animal agriculture has continuously evolved to meet the changing needs of the nation and world. The story of animal agriculture goes beyond food to clothing, medical advances, pharmaceuticals and recreation.

Livestock Heritage is the second exhibition in the FairTime! series, featuring reproductions of The Fair Publishing House, Inc. (Norwalk, Ohio) collection of turn-of-the-century fair poster art. This exhibition helps to foster an awareness of the role of fairs in the changing field of livestock agriculture.

This exhibition is eligible for funding through the Michigan Humanities Council's Arts and Humanities Touring Program. For more information, click here.

Rental fee
(4-week period) :
$1,500, plus shipping
Number of pieces: 20 reproductions of turn-of-the-century paintings created for posters to promote agricultural fairs

Running feet required: 75-100 running feet
Insurance Value:
$8,000 Certificate of insurance required
Security requirement: Lockable, limited access display area; provisions to prevent the public from touching pieces; fire protection according to local ordinances
Additional materials available: Press materials. Slide/discussion programs are also available to supplement the exhibit: "Early Michigan Fairs," "'Women's Work' at Early Fairs," and "America's Unique Educational Fair".


For information on purchasing the publication Agricultural Fairs in America: Tradition, Education & Celebration, Click Here.

This traveling exhibition is an Agricultural Heritage Program activity of the Michigan State University Museum. It is made possible with the generous financial and in-kind support of the Carroll County Youth Fair (Maryland), The Fair Publishing House, Inc., Hewlett-Packard Company, Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund, Maas Foundation, Michigan Association of Fairs and Exhibitions, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, Michigan Department of Agriculture, Michigan Humanities Council, National Endowment for the Humanities, The Office of Racing Commissioner, Upper Peninsula State Fair, and the following departments and units of Michigan State University: Office of the Provost, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Office of the Vice Provost and Dean, Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, MSU Extension, Office of Academic and Student Affairs.

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This is an activity supported by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs