There will be no New York State Fair this year.
To hold us over before next year’s extravaganza we thought it would be fun to go through our archives and look at fair coverage over the past 50 years.
In this installment of “State Fair Flashback,” we go back to 1982 and look back at one of educational features offered at the fair, the House of Hazards, hosted by “Matches the Clown.”
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The New York State Fair Governor Hugh Gov. Hugh Carey meets Smokey the Bear at the 1982 State Fair Fire Prevention Exhibit. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Sure the New York State Fair is fun, but it also offers a wonderful assortment of educational exhibits.
Agriculture, tourism, art, and history exhibits have always been a popular State Fair exhibits.
In 1982, visitors at the Fair could visit the Roosevelt Special, a traveling museum devoted to the life Franklin Roosevelt, an agriculture museum behind the Coliseum and an interactive miniature golf game that taught the importance of drinking milk.
One of the most important educational exhibits was the “House of Hazards,” located in the State Exhibits Building. Sponsored by the Syracuse Fire Department and volunteer fire departments from around Onondaga County, the popular attraction taught youngsters the importance of fire safety.
“The House of Hazards,” State Fair Director Thomas Young said, “is a critical must not only to instruct the children, but also as a reminder for parents.”
The house, “situated at the intersection of Fire Prevention Boulevard and Safety Street,” was, at least the Herald Journal’s Elizabeth Balint hoped, the most dangerous domicile in all of Central New York, with fire hazards around every corner.
There was a wood stove situated too close to a wall, an overloaded electric outlet with unsafe wiring, flammable liquids stored near an open flame and a man fast asleep in bed while drinking and smoking.
“Through the House of Hazards, we are hoping to make children and adults more fire-conscious,” said its creator Jay Seitz, a lieutenant with the Fire Prevention Bureau.
The exhibit was in its fifth year in 1982 and it had received a major upgrade.
The Safety Cinema, a 1,500-square foot theater, gave live presentations every half hour. They were hosted by Matches the Clown and Smokey the Bear.
Tips about how to use a fire alarm call box, what to do in the event of a fire, rope ladder demonstrations and proper use of smoke detectors were explained.
Children seemed to get the message.
“I think the exhibit is very worthwhile,” said Andrew Simco, 12, whose father was the fire chief in Mattydale. “Kids need to learn not to fool around with fire.”
“I don’t smoke, and I don’t play with matches,” Greg Kacprzynski announced to the firemen who was supervising one of the rooms. “That child shouldn’t be touching the furnace.”
Do you remember the House of Hazards? How about concerts by the Marshall Tucker Band, the Beach Boys, Barbara Mandrell or Emmylou Harris? Did you get basketball lessons from Jim Boeheim or talk to Lawrence the Talking Lake Trout?
George Moore, of Buffalo, one of the operators of the Pirate, promotes enthusiasm among his riders at the 1982 State Fair.
Eliseo Rossi, 84-years old from Utica, was a familiar face at the State Fair. He rode his bicycle every year to the Fairgrounds. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Jim Boeheim gives basketball tips at the 1982 New York State Fair Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Wrecked cars from demolition derby await trip to junkyard from the State Fair racetrack in 1982.
Adam Smith, 7, of Oswego converses with Lawrence the Talking Lake Trout, a special 4-H exhibit, about fishing and water quality inside the Youth Building at the 1982 State Fair. The fish's mouth moves through modulation of the voice, said Dave Green, an extension specialist with Cornell and the individual who set up the educational exhibit. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Singer Barbara Mandrell performs at New York State Fair Grandstand in 1982. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Beach Boys perform at the 1982 State Fair Grandstand Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Emmylou Harris performs for a "small crowd" at the 1982 State Fair. State Fair Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Doug Gray of the Marshall Tucker Band belts out a song at the 1982 State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Crowd watches Sha-Na-Na and Mach 1, the U.S. Air Force rock group at Miller Court at the 1982 State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Fourteen year old Todd Harned, left,, and 13 year old Kevin Giordano perform with the group "Poison Ivy" in the State Fair's Talent Showcase in 1982. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Reginald and Cathy Haycook of Binghamton sample the carrots at the NASA space food display at the 1982 New York State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Heather Chew of Westmoreland St. wrestling with a stuffed bear in the 1982 State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Jean Kingsley of Oswego, New York getting posture checked by Cynthia Bittner, a chiropractic assistant at the 1982 State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Kristen and Leslie Banach (108 Rockwood road) looking at cows in cow barn at the 1982 State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Gladys Wickware, from Gloversville, New York has a snack in Miller Court. She is also holding a "I've got a share in Syracuse" balloon which was community pride campaign in 1982. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
The butter sculpture at the 1982 New York State Fair had a square dancing theme.
Tom Towne of Bishop Grimes, representing the West, works the ball against the East's Eric Singleton in the State Fair East-West All-Star basketball game in 1982. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
A goose sticks its neck out of its cage in the Poultry Building at the 1982 State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
It's hard to keep them apart, especially at the State Fair. Jim Lynch of Phoenix was showing off Butch, his Shetland pony, to Terese Forbes, Megan Lower, Kathleen Forbes and Philip Forbes of Syracuse at the 1982 State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Don and Shari Pacheco cast their votes yesterday in Morrisville ATC's opinion poll at the 1982 State Fair. Questions were about the upcoming gubernatorial races and nuclear armament. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Jeanne and John Naples run the Yankee Clubhouse at the 1982 State Fair. A brand new Yankees t-shirt for $5.60! Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Brothers Matt Ferlito and Tim Ferlito, on the Himalayan Ride at the 1982 State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
William Watkins makes flax inside the Horticulture building at the 1982 State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Turning in newspaper coupons for 1/2 off admission ticket at the 1982 New York State Fair Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Karen Cox, 18, at her Cayuga County 4-H sewing booth at the 1982 State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Read more
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This feature is a part of CNY Nostalgia, a section on syracuse.com. Send your ideas and curiosities to Johnathan Croyle at jcroyle@syracuse.com or call 315-427-3958.