University of La Verne Showcases Regional History at the LA County Fair
University of La Verne faculty and students will show their Leopard pride at the 2022 Los Angeles County Fair, which opens on May 5 and runs through Memorial Day weekend.
The fair’s theme this year is “Back to our Roots,” which celebrates the 100th anniversary of the fair’s founding in 1922. Several university departments will have exhibits on display aligned with that theme.
The Archives and Special Collections at University of La Verne’s Wilson Library will exhibit documents and artifacts from the Citrus Roots Collection.
University of La Verne Archivist Ben Jenkins will lead the exhibit. The 48th Agricultural District invited Jenkins to exhibit citrus crate labels and display other artifacts such as field crates, a smudge pot, and historical photographs of the citrus industry in Southern California.
“We’re thrilled to have been invited to participate, and look forward to sharing a bit of Los Angeles County’s agricultural history with fairgoers,” Jenkins said.
Jenkin’s exhibit will be showcased at Expo Hall 10 of the fair, near The Barn area of the Farm and Gardens location.
The University of La Verne Cultural and Natural History Collections (CNHC) has made a presence at the fair since 2017. This year, it will host two exhibits inside the Little Red Schoolhouse between The Barn and The Farm section of the fairgrounds on the University of La Verne’s teaching roots and education in the late 19th century. The first exhibit will showcase domestic skills taught in classrooms past, such as sewing, cooking, and housework. The second will showcase trade skills, such as farming and cobbling. Children will also be able to use chalk, blackboards, blocks, and other classroom objects.
“We have been a valued and reliable partner of the Fairplex, participating in the Los Angeles County Fair, Fall in the Farm, Spring in the Farm, and their STEA2M events,” University of La Verne Curator Anne Collier said. “We really value our relationship there, as it gives us many opportunities to interact with the community.”
Along with select faculty, students from the College of the Arts and Sciences will work the CNHC exhibit throughout the entirety of the fair.
The fair will be open Thursdays through Sundays. Residents of La Verne have the opportunity to participate in La Verne Day, which will be celebrated on Friday, May 6. This includes $1 admission.
To learn more, visit lacountyfair.com/discounts.
