Rocky Ford enterprise., 1904-09-09
HISTORY OFF,
WATERMELON DAY
The Historical Data Furnished the
Enterprise by Senator Swink.
Father Of Watermelon
Day.


Watermelon Day proves that Senator
Swink may be truly called the Father
of coiorado's most popular fall festival
Mr. S~ink is not only the Father oi
Watermelon Day. hut practically the
Father OF the Rocky Ford country,
Ever since his settlement In the valley
tie has used his iargs landed posses
sions In such an unseifish. public spir.
tied way m to promote In growth and
development of the country tributary
20 Rocky Ford.
The frst Watermelon Day WAS In
ISIS. The country then being very
thiniy settled the crowd was quite
small. not more than twenty-five peo.
pl- being present and they being
mostly from Ia Junta. coming In a
Santa Fe caboose. Hon. q. W. Swink
rut the melons on the grain door OF
a box car. Only one ~aEonioad was
required to feed the crowd and give
them all they wanted to carry home.
In 1879 AIR. Swink gave the same In
vitaiion and the crowd was Increased
| to about Nifty. mostly from La Junta
again. They ate and carried home
with them one large wasoniosd OF
melons. A grain door again served
for table. and Sir. s~ink did all
the carving.
In 1850 tn, crowd increased to 100
and consumed two wakonioads OF mel
ons.
In 1851 there was another increase.
two coachioair coming from La Jun'n.
That year table was built twelve
feet long. aud the melon supply cor
Tcruondinsly Increased.
The same growth OF att -ndanc- was
noted in isS:, the pile OF melons stead
/ lis growing. no that all wants were
supplied. During all these years the
fcaH; was served In the old swink
store adjoining the Santa r. track.
In isS5 there was another marked
Increase In the crowd. and the table
/ for melons was transferred TO the
grove north OF town. which was "a Part
l Of SIR. s;winE'r tlnbrr claim. which has
/ the distinction Of being the nrrt tim
ser culture claim proved up on IN tn.
Unit-d States. Th. feast OF melons
was accompanied by a basket picnic. q
table being hulit separate from the
m-io ninbl'. on this IN. ladies spread
n mos, excellent dinner for the visit
orr. Adjacent to tn. two tables was
n display OF piumH. grapes and apples
which were given to the crowd before
the day ended. This was the begin
ring OF the now celebrated Rocky Ford
faitH o' the ArkanFaH Valley Fair AS
/ Fot-ntlon.
! In 1851 there wnH another Increase
both IN tn. crowd Hni the size Of the
melon pile. Th' free dinner nlHo was
cnintFrd In quantity and improved In
quality. The ladies of Rocky Ford
tcoI great pride In preparing n hnc
dinner md deserve much credit for
the vuiunblc aid render "a. The dis
| plnv OF horticultural products was
rHt" feature nFnin.
In iSSh there was the usual Increase
| In the crowd and the spread Of tooth
some vianIE To the display or fruits
was this year added that OF farm prod
vets. Up to aud including this year
I AIR. Swiuk cut and H,rVcd all the mel
nns which wcic eaten.
In iSSc 10 great was the attendance
| that the ladies hal to put the big pot
on" but they had an abundance OF
grub" and rs nnc as could be pro-
vihsi anywhere. This year Mr.. Swink
was COMPELLED to call In hci? to cut
and ScFV" the mc.ons. There was the
usual display OF farm and orchard
products. but In larger quantity than
previous years.
In 1887 were run the first special
trains. which brought very inrgc In
crcns- In the crowd. So great was the
attendance that II was necessary to
abandon the free dinners. But the
crowd was not wholly unprovidcd for.
ns a committee OF public comfort made
an arrangement with Rockers bakery
and restaurant whereby he furnished
an excellent meal for Is cents. 5"
great was the amount OF coffee de-
mandcd that Mr.. Rcckcr brought Into
use traction engine for its making
The display o. valley products was
continued.
From 1855 to 1891 there was n con-
atnnt growth OF the crowd and
marked increase In the display OF farm
products. Cntlin. Fowler and ordway
contributing to the fair features OF the
lay In 1899 the Arkansas Valley Fair
Association was organized and the
H.. F4.E. l~Far .
crease in attendance. The fair was
a success from the very first. both
financially and as an exhibition OF the
products OF the valley. The visitors
were highly pleased.
The hard tiIr,ess OF 1898. to which
was added the local dlstress caused by
the worst hail storm which ever struck
the valley. did not prevent the usual
growth in attendance. And the fair
was most excellent. Adjacent to the
melon niles speaking program was
conluctgd. Hon. ~ l.. Kellogg was
chairman. who introduced Mayor Swink
as the father of Rocky Ford and OF
Watermelon Day as well as the pio-
neer in the melon industry of the val
lev. Addresses were made by Hon. j.
II. Crowley Senator Hartsell. Hon.
Fred Lockwood and Senator Johnson.
Mrs. Carrie Lane Chapman closed the
program with an address in favor OF
waran suffrage.
The yeat 1894 added another most
successful event to the history OF the
! rnlr aud Watermelon Day. The fair
| presented for the examination OF thou-
| sands of visitors spsiendid variety
of agricultural and horticultural pro,
ducts. as well as stock of all kinds and
farm indictments.
'Thc National Irrigation Congress
which was in session in Denver, at
landed tho fair on Wnterm alon Day
and it's members were greatly In
struCted and delighted with what they
saw Of the practical results of irriga-
ion.
Each succeeding year has seen In
crAHsInE crowds brought by the many