EATON — The Antique Building is a staple of the Preble County Fair. It’s been around for years, and whether you’re just passing through, or there to check out the goods housed inside it, the building is a stand out. It is home to a large variety of antiques, household arts, quilts, different sewing projects, and clothes.
While Kathy Combs is now in charge of the building, it used to be manned by Katherine Rader, who is helping out this year by watching the building every day during a set shift. According to Rader, she was in charge of the building for at least 10 years.
“People bring things that they really adore and have collected over the years. The people who come in here really love to see antiques and see what they have at home or what their family had. They really enjoy everything about the building,” she said. “We have a lot of people come in the building during the evenings. Some people stop and ask about the history of the items and share stories they have about similar items.
“This year we have a picture submitted that people really like,” she added. “It’s for the Indiana State Fair and it was at the turn of the century, like 1901, I’m not sure. The woman is in her hat and it’s a large picture. It’s advertising the Indiana State Fair. We get some really old and unique items in this building.”
“The Native American artifacts, they’re probably the oldest thing in here,” Rader said. “We have a fairly good class of it this year. We have things that people have grown up with in this area and we also have the quilts and handmade items.”
Rader added, people like to see what they, or their children, have handmade on display.
“The most important thing is, they like to do it,” she said. “And children like to bring things. They really enjoy that.
“I’m just thankful there’s a place here for things like this, that allows people to see these things. There’s a lot of people who come through here and enjoy it.”
