The battle for the county fair

Susan Doak

Southwest Nebraska Genealogy Society

"If any one of you was in charge of a business enterprise and you found business dull or prospects dark for its success, would you give up, or would you double your energies and work all the harder to save your business or enterprise from ruin?" (McCook Tribune, Sept. 5, 1890)

That quote is from Mr. C.W. Beck, Secretary of the Red Willow County Agricultural Society in response to questions concerning the continuation of the county fair. He continues with these four observations: "Now I will admit some things look discouraging for a fair this year, but shall we give up and acknowledge ourselves whipped by hot winds and dry weather? ... There is no reason we can't have the best show of stock we ever had in the county ... The ladies are no less skilled in needlework and fine art and, rest assured, they will make a fine display.

"So if you come to the fair, it may cost you a dollar or so, but it will only be invested where it will return to you tenfold." Following this, he says: "In regard to making entries, I will say, I will be a C. W. Barnes office in Indianola on Monday, Sept. 22, to receive entries and at the fairground Tuesday, the first day of the fair."

This all was taking place during the same time that a referee (Judge Cessna) was gathering evidence to prove the validity of petitioner names on the petition to move the county seat to McCook. McCook, having paid its $400 fee, had been validated, but the Judge would not begin on the rebutting evidence in Indianola until it had paid their fee also. The subject was to be argued in Hastings on Sept. 22 before the Judge and McCook was claiming they had 200 surplus signatures on their petition.

Yes, the fair was still in Indianola during the late 1800s, and the Burlington railroad promised to send Mr. Coleman, president of the Agricultural Society, to the Illinois State Fair at Peoria with an exhibit of the products from our fair to "show the multitudes at the Illinois state fair what this county is capable of producing under the most adverse circumstances." Farmers were asked to "set aside the largest samples for the fair and be sure to be on hand with it. But especially bring corn. Bring corn of every variety, from the little popcorn to the mammoth dent."

The fair remained in Indianola for several years, but the Sept. 23, 1904 issue of the McCook Tribune hints of it being moved. The location suggested was Red Willow, "a suitable place where plenty of shade could be had." This front page article, which can only be described as a personal opinion, came from J. M. Brown, who continued by naming who he would like to see running the Red Willow Agricultural Society, namely, J.F. Helm as president, William Byfield, vice president, Horace Taylor, secretary, Jacob Randle, treasurer, and Steve Bolles (our Bolles Canyon creator), chief superintendent.

Next week I will continue on the plight of the Red Willow County fair and the people involved in relocating it.

Southwest Nebraska Genealogy Society will have no open library or meetings during the month of August.