Fairplex Records on Exhibition at the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Library - Cal Poly Pomona

More than a century of fairground history is now open to the public at Cal Poly Pomona.

Cal Poly Pomona Special Collections and Archives (SC&A) introduced the Fairplex Records through a new exhibition titled Ribbons, Rides, and Regional Roots: More Than a Century of the Los Angeles County Fair at the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Library.

The exhibition marks American Archives Month and features photographs, souvenir programs, and documents highlighting the fair’s history. Andrew Kopp, Digital Projects Coordinator and Cal Poly Pomona alumnus, curated the collection.

From regional fair to year-round destination

The Fairplex Records trace the Los Angeles County Fair from its origins as a small regional fair in 1922 into a dynamic year-round destination. The collection includes over 275 linear feet of primary and secondary source materials, documenting the growth of the fairgrounds renamed Fairplex in 1984.

Today, the venue features permanent attractions including the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, the RailGiants Train Museum, and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. It also welcomes year-round events like the Grand National Roadster Show and the Pomona Swap Meet and Classic Car Show.

Exhibition highlights and historical records

Visitors can view prize ribbons from the inaugural 1922 fair alongside photographs documenting the fairgrounds’ controversial wartime use by the U.S. military during World War II. Other displays feature promotional materials for “Thummer,” technological innovations such as the monorail, and original attraction renderings.

Two specialized displays focus on foundational influences. One highlights C.B. “Jack” Afflerbaugh, the fair’s founder and inaugural general manager, featuring one of his original datebooks. The second explores the relationship among the Los Angeles County Fair, the Kellogg Ranch, and Cal Poly Pomona through a 1930 souvenir program and horse show prize ribbons.

An exhibit extension titled From America 200 to America 250 connects the fair’s 1976 Bicentennial celebration to the nationwide commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary in 2026, displaying Home Arts books and patriotic documents.

SC&a processed Los Angeles County Fair Association materials

The exhibition draws from an acquisition announced by SC&A in November 2021, when the department took in archival materials from the Los Angeles County Fair Association. Kopp began processing the collection in May 2022 while serving as Project Archivist. With assistance from David Castro, Archives and Rare Books Coordinator, processing finished in January 2024, and the finding aid was published to the Online Archive of California (OAC).

The exhibition is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., with guided tours available subject to staff availability. Contact SC&A at [email protected] for updates.