First colonies and southern charm – VA, NC, SC, GA, TN showcase the southern East Coast at The Great American State Fair

(Editor’s note: A series on The Great American State Fair, held in Washington, D.C., in honor of America’s 250th birthday, written by Heartlander News interns.)

Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee – mostly original colonies that stretch the southern eastern seaboard – share deep Revolutionary American history and have been integral in the country’s agriculture and industrial developments, as showcased at the Great American State Fair.

Virginia

As the first colony founded in the New World, Virginia holds deep colonial and American history, and seven members of the 1787 Constitutional Convention claimed this state as their home, according to the National Archives.

The tourism slogan “Virginia is for lovers” was on full display in the Virginia state booth, with a life-sized model of the word “love” providing visitors with a photo opportunity. The letters were each shaped from Virginian industries, with large ears of corn creating the “l,” an apple for the “o,” silverware creating the “v” and stacked peanuts making the “e.” The booth also included some pop-up posters about the Founding and colonial Virginia.

North Carolina

One of 11 states that publicly declined to participate in the Great American State Fair, North Carolina blamed the expense of assembling a booth as its reason to abstain.

Although state-sponsored content was absent, the North Carolina booth showcased a model NASCAR, brought by Richard Childress Racing, a custom trailer built by Specvo – the company that built the Freedom Trucks – and featured video footage about Operation Helo, a helicopter disaster relief initiative based in North Carolina.

Known for being the “First in Flight,” thanks to the Wright Brothers and their first airplane flight, this state is also the first in speed. With roots in bootlegging illegal alcohol, North Carolinians raced cars to transport whiskey to other destinations quickly, which developed into the thrill-seeking sport that stock car racing is today. 

South Carolina

Inspired by its own state flag, South Carolina’s booth was a breezy beach vacation, complete with palm trees and postcards. The booth displayed “Discover South Carolina” state branding and offered free postcards for visitors to send anywhere they chose. Many visitors took South Carolina’s booth as an opportunity to shelter from the D.C. heat and relax in a rocking chair.

Despite the state’s rich history in the American Founding and the Civil War, the booth surprisingly did not feature any history of the state.

Georgia

Colloquially known as “The Peach State,” Georgia did not embrace this stereotype in its booth and instead seemed to advertise itself as “the Vidalia onion state,” thanks to the enthusiastic display of onion content. The booth highlighted the state’s production of poultry products as well, overlooking sweet peaches.

One entire wall of the booth featured LED screens with information about the state’s chicken production, as the poultry industry is Georgia’s largest agricultural employer.

One display said a single average Georgia chicken farm produces more than 5 million meals in one year. Georgia has been first in poultry production in the United States since 1951.

Tennessee

While the only state in this grouping that wasn’t an original colony, Tennessee’s booth leaned into the state’s rich history of music and booze. With a neon sign, Jack Daniel’s bottles, and a Grand Ole Opry-model microphone, Elvis’s rockabilly loving state portrayed southern charm.

Bookshelves made of whiskey crates displayed unique Tennessee products such as Moonpies and barbeque sauce. Another display case held a Gibson Les Paul Goldtop guitar and a map featuring cities and landmarks.

Since Memphis is home to Elvis’ Graceland, the booth featured a wall-sized screen playing a video of Elvis performing. A microphone was set in front of this video for visitors to take a photo with the King of Rock n Roll. Tennessee also emphasized southern hospitality by giving away locally made treats, including Goo Goo Clusters which are made in Nashville, making it a popular stop at the fair.