Nebraska State Fair in 1910 included the Wright Brothers

I have written before about Red Willow County taking exhibits to the Nebraska State Fair of farm products. Quite often the Burlington would offer a free train ride to those exhibits and the people accompanying them. There were even pictures of the exhibits in the Tribune when Red Willow placed well at the state level, but I never quite understood what was behind the exuberance in a county, rather than individuals participating.

An article in the McCook Tribune, August 25, 1910, answered part of that question: “The state fair is offering premiums in cash to the amount of $2,650.00 for county exhibits in agricultural farm products. The state has been divided into three sections, western, eastern, and central, for the amount of premiums offered is an inducement for any county to make a display of their agricultural products. Additional premiums are offered for individual exhibits. The state fair this year will be held Sept. 5 to 9, and counties contemplating an exhibit should begin to get ready. Premium lists may be had from W. R. Melor, Secretary, Lincoln.”

The fair of course is in Grand Island now, but Lincoln wasn’t always the location for the state fair either. Prior to the 1900’s, the fair was held in Omaha in conjunction with the Omaha Exposition. Omaha’s 5-year contract ran out, Lincoln had bid to have the fair and yet had done no preparations to have facilities for it, so the state fair was slated to be discontinued.

That turned around, thank goodness, and Lincoln took the reins adding in 1911 the following unique approach to entry: “A new departure at the 1911 State Fair September 4th to 8th will be the coin turnstiles at the general admission gates. Instead of the customary stop and purchase of a ticket at an outside ticket office, the fair visitor will walk to the turnstile, and lay down his fifty-cent piece which drops into a slot, releasing the lock and permitting the person to pass through. Therefore, when you come to the state fair this year be sure to have a 50-cent piece, as nothing else will unlock the turnstile.” McCook Tribune, July 13, 1911.

An earlier fair had an exciting addition to the entertainment provided according to an article in the McCook Tribune, July 28, 1910: “Visitors at the state fair this year will have an opportunity to see the Wright brothers in several flights in their aeroplane, as the fair management has contracted with those gentlemen who have made the old world sit up and take notice, for several flights each day at the fair, Sept. 5 to 9. They will bring with them three of their full sized aeroplanes which will be used in making their flights every day. When not in use, they will be on exhibition to those interested in air navigation. This will be an opportunity for the people of Nebraska to see these wonders of the 20th century.”

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