Danbury Fair and Racearena Historical Preservation

We are Don and Jenn Miller located out of Wells, Vermont. We have three sons, Max, Lyle and Blake. Here are our acquisitions, we want to take you back to that day, opening day, the excitement you felt, the over joy that you felt knowing that you could pay your rent/mortgage or even just the extra cash you made while working there. The thousands of people you would see, or the smell of the popcorn or the sausages and peppers cooking. Whatever it was that got you excited about the fair we want to bring it out of you. So we have taken the initiative to be exclusive to the Danbury State Fair and Racearena, by obtaining, restoring and preserving these memories from there. We strive to be a place of historical preservation to the SNYRA and Danbury Fair and Racearena.   Here is our story.

Don grew up in Georgetown, CT where he and his family would visit the fairgrounds every year and attend the racearena every Saturday night. Don had a favorite driver and that was the #151 of Chick Stockwell. Maybe because he didn’t live too far from where the race car sat or maybe he even was friends with Chick's son, Tom. Don says he could see the tops of the cars over the hill and that made him want to make his way over that hill to know more. While he loved the #151, his dad enjoyed Don LaJoie and then Chick. LaJoie later on would become Don’s first race car number in honor of Don LaJoie where he raced at Devils Bowl Speedway in the sportsman division. Don drove the Dice car 711 for a few years. These roots started because of the Danbury Racearena and going every weekend. 

Upon Don’s retirement from racing about six years ago, he wanted to do something for the greater good. He always had an interest in antiques because of his parents always going what they called, antiquing. On the next page was the 

beginning of what this has become. The dutch girl is pictured with Don and his two sons Blake and Lyle. Don saw this dutch girl and had to have her, so he purchased her. Then over time, he became obsessed with searching for items and of course they were scattered and sometimes he would find them and other times he would have no luck at all. Over the last 2 years the interest grew and grew when Don decided to start designing some of the drivers from the racearena to place on t-shirts. He of course drew up Chick Stockwell first, and much to his surprise, people went crazy for the shirts. Don owns and 

operates his own screen printing business which makes it a sweet deal to be able to design and print them all in house. Once the word got out there that shirts from Danbury were becoming available, more and more drivers were wanted. Don then opened up a new facebook group that was geared strictly to the Danbury Fair and Racearena Memorabilia. Once again, he just opened the doors to something much bigger than him. We saw the first couple of hundred likes on the page and that continues to grow each day. That facebook page has over 2,000 likes and just as many that are following the page. 

In order to keep up with collecting and the costs, we vowed that the sales of the t-shirts, sweatshirts, etc would generate the money in order to continue collecting items from the Danbury Fair and Racearena. The entire family is on the journey together, that includes the wife and kids, yes! Each one of the figurines that we brought into this family's home, they are named, well for the most part. They are treated like family. 

Each piece that is brought in we have traveled long distances to acquire and it is with love for the fair and racearena that we bring this to you all. 

We want to see these fair items displayed for the public to see. We don’t want them stored away. After all, would you store your family in a barn, or storage box, no, is the answer. 

We have a spiritual connection to each item that is acquired. They tell a story, and we want to learn more about their stories and those that loved them so. 

We have vowed to ourselves and have dedicated our lives to ensuring more generations enjoy the history that each piece brings along with the history that comes from the people that have donated to us. We hear so many awesome stories and we want them to live on and on for many more years to follow. 

Supporting our mission, our desires, and our future is like supporting your own family. Let the memories be carried on. Let the children learn the art that goes into building 

something so amazing. How about the entrepreneurship that can be learned from Mr. Leahys’ drive and dedication to the fair? There is always a lesson to be learned from our history, our ancestors would be pleased with our efforts.

If your interested in donating to us, click the link below. Each donation is used to obtain more items, restore them and preserve them for many more years to come.