HISTORY OF THE SHOW Pierce Webb, a Laurel Fork native, retired to Florida and developed a hobby for collecting, repairing and trading guns. Early in 1967 Webb visited his friend, Glenn Jackson, also a native of Laurel Fork. This was shortly after the Grover King Post 1115, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post home collapsed under snow and ice. Webb told Jackson that gun shows were popular down south and he would like to see one started in Carroll County. Gene Park, the Hillsville Police Chief, like the idea and discussed it often, as did Dennis Quesenberry, a serious collector of fine guns. Jackson, a VFW member, knew the Post was hard pressed for funds to meet monthly obligations, much less pay for the new Post Home, still under construction. He thought that maybe a gun show, being new to the area, might bring in some extra money. Chief Pack offered his assistance in security and traffic control, so they approached the Post membership with the idea and it was approved. Jackson agreed to do the planning and promotion for the first show, although he had never attended anything like this before. The first obstacle came when the state license inspector threatened to impose the $200.00 "Itinerant Vendor's License" upon each exhibitor at the show. Then, state sales tax officials demanded that each exhibitor obtain a $5.00 certificate to collect sales tax from each transaction. It was learned that state tax laws had blocked shows of this type before. Tax officials finally agreed to let the show open by allowing it to operate under one $200.00 license, purchased by Grover King Post 1115, VFW. They also agreed to let Milburn Barnes, Post Quartermaster, collect sales tax from each vendor and report it, along with the post sales tax return. With the cost of the license, added to the cost of advertising printing, etc. some members feared that this would be a losing venture. That's when Jackson enlisted the news media. He made a list of several hundred newspapers, radio and TV stations, gun and coin shops and sporting goods stores. He wrote all of them and visited many, explaining the situation and seeking their cooperation in promoting the event through their public service programs. Evidently, this paid off, since the first show attracted some 100 exhibitors from several states, some as far away as Texas, Florida, Ohio and New York. Dennis Quesinberry, who worked with Jackson getting the event lined up, estimated the worth of displayed items, guns, coins, knives and Indian relics at more than three million dollars. Jackson advised the kitchen committee to prepare for at least 2,000 visitors that he expected to attend. They were overwhelmed when more than twice that many showed up. Members had to scrounge around the county and adjoining towns for food and drink to satisfy the hungry crowd. After the second year the show outgrew the space inside the VFW hall and the outdoor flea market was added to accommodate the overflow. The rest is history. The VFW Labor Day Show, now the largest single event held in Carroll and adjoining counties, did not just "happen". A lot of people worked long hours in bringing it to this point. The annual event has developed into a social gathering place for residents, their families and friends, who return once each year to visit and renew old ties. To a great extent this has replaced the "August Meeting" of days gone by, as the occasion for informal get-togethers and reunions. Since 1967, there have been 5 major dealer lots developed which have contributed to the Hillsville Antiques Show. The Riley Lot features 61 lots, all within 115' of Highway 58, which is the main walkway for shoppers at the Hillsville Antiques Show. Financed largely by revenue from the Labor Day Show, the VFW property has been expanded and greatly improved, while carrying out their various community projects. The VFW Labor Day Show is known as a national event. It is educational, entertaining and attracts a large number of cultured people from all over the United States. This creates a tremendous amount of goodwill and boosts the economy for our area and the state. Most serious collectors are professional people; Doctors, Lawyers, Bankers, Teachers, Ministers, Industrialists, you name it. By remaining considerate and reasonable, the Post is rendering an unusual community service and still realizing a profit at the same time. Therefore, every effort is being made to please these visitors and make them want to come back. Most of them are doing just that. Not only the Post, but the entire community has a lot at stake in this show. The Hillsville show is rated among the top in the nation for collectors to find what they are looking for. This bears out their advertising motto: "Hillsville, Virginia - VFW Labor Day Show - Where Collectors Collect."

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