Annie Oakley Days in Greenville

Make your plans now! Celebrate Annie Oakley Days at the Darke County Fairgrounds in Greenville! There will be historical tours, a parade and of course a shooting contest!

Another Ohio hero:

Born near Greenville, Ohio on August 13, 1860, Phoebe Ann Mosey learned to shoot while hunting game for her widowed mother and her brother and sisters. After she met and married shooter Frank Butler, she chose the professional name of Annie Oakley and began to tour the vaudeville circuit. Between 1885 and 1901, she starred in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show. As the first female wild west star, she helped open both wild west shows and rodeos to women. She also proved herself an outstanding athlete in trapshooting competitions and shooting exhibitions. As the first well-known woman sport shooter, she opened shooting ranges and matches all across the nation and Europe to women competitors.

Annie set an example for women and helped change the American public’s mind regarding what were appropriate sports and activities for women. She also argued for a woman’s right to bear and use firearms, both for sport shooting and for self-defense. She coached more than 2,000 women in firearm safety and shooting. As a public service she traveled the Eastern coast, at her own expense, demonstrating the safe and effective use of firearms for World War I soldiers.

–The Annie Oakley Foundation

Annie Oakley Sidewalk Sales
July 23-25, 2009. Downtown Greenville
The biggest sales of the year! People line-up for hours before KitchenAid Experience Center opens to offer deep discounts & freebies to its customers. The downtown is lined with one sidewalk sale after another.

Annie Oakley Parade Downtown Greenville
July 25, 2009. Parade begins at 10am.

Click here to sign up for the Main Street Greenville newsletter (scroll down) to get the word on upcoming events and what’s for sale at their weekly  Farmer’s Market!