Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-05-28
IOWA STATE FAIRS
FAIR TO BE HELD THIS YEAR
WILL BE THE FIFTIETH HELD
IN THE STATE.
First State Fair Was Held in Fairfield
in 1s54-Located in Des Moines In
1s7s-Premlums Offered for Queer
Exhibits in Early Days.

The state fair of the present year
Will be the f1ftieth which has been held
in the state of Iowa according to an
interesting history which has been
prepared by Secretary John c. Simp-
son and which will soon be published
in the annual year book of the depart
ment of agriculture. The first of this
half century Of state fairs was held in
Fairfield in 1854.
During that period the receipts of
the fair have grown from $1,000 to
$4,000, and in the year 1902 went
above $4,000. The premiums have
grown from $1,000 in 1854 to $23,813
last year.
The first premium list issued by the
state fair management is decided GU
riosity. Among the items in it were
premiums offered for the following ar
ticles, practically unknown to this gen.
Grafton:
Team of oxen, not less than three
yoke.
Ok yoke.
Grain cradle.
Arrangement for raising water other
than pump.
Mattock.
In addition premiums were offered
for the best and biggest fattened
hogs" native or dunghill fowls"
hand power" etc.
Mr.. Simpsons history relates that
the receipts of the first fair at Fair
field were reported by the treasurer
tn hn ohn11f CT 000 Hoff
counterfeit and other worthless mon
ey." Now the present state fair man
agement never takes bad money.
Its Organization.
| The first movement looking to the
organization of state fair was by the
Jefferson County Agricultural society
directors. They met at Fairfield Octo-
Der 13, 1858. At the time Iowa was
the only free state which was not hold
| ing an annual state fair. G. w. Slagle
made the memorable motion which is
the basis of the present day fair. 1t
authorized the officers of the Jefferson
county fair to take immediate steps to
have the first state fair held the fol-
lowing October.
Jefferson, Henry, Lee, Van Buren,
and Wapello counties responded to a
call issued Immediately afterwards for
a conference for the formation of a
state society. The meeting was held
at Fairfield on December %, 1858. The
delegates from these counties organ.
lied the society and Thomas w. Cleg-
gett, of Lee county, was made presi-
dent and j. M. Shaffer, of Jefferson
county, was made secretary.
| In it's fifty years of life the state fair
has had twenty-three presidents. Be
ginning with Thomas w. Cleggett, who
served four years, the list includes DR..
j. Bowen, who served during the fair
of 1858, 2. T. Fisher. who was the
president the following year and who
was followed there by the famous
George G. Wright, afterwards United
! States senator from Iowa, who was
president for five years.
/ Peter Melendy, of Cedar Falls, who
passed away there recently, was the
next president, serving for five years
and being succeeded by E. R. Shank.
land two years. John Scott for two
years, Oliver Mills for three years and
S. F. Spofford, who served in 1877 and
1878. F. L. Downing was elected pres.
ident in 1879 and at the same time Co
ker F. Clarkson was elected vice
president The next year Mr.. Down
ing continued as president and Mr..
i Clarkson was succeeded by E. F
Brockway. John w. Porter was then
elected president and served for two
years.
4 First Fair at Des Moines.
! 1t was in 1879 that the state fair wa:
first held in Des Moines. That yea
} Mr.. Downing succeeded Mr.. Spofforc
: as president and Mr.. Clarlson succeed
ed Mr.. John Grinnell as vice president
been first elected in 1874. ]. G. Rounds
of Des Moines was elected treasurer
He is the president of the Citizens Ma
tional bank Of that city. still.
William T. Smith. now resident o
: Des Moines. but then resident of Os
kaloosa, became president of the fail
and the Agricultural society in 1883
The fair had been permanently located
In Des Moines in 1879 as stated. ant
was held at the grounds out on Yves
s Grand avenue, approximately where
the Greenwood and Ingersoll parks nov
are. The brick lodge which was uset
,, as the treasurer's and other officers of
fees at that time still stands on thu
| north side of the street car track, ant
is used for part Of home.
1t was during the administration o
, President Smith. which lasted for three
years, that the present magnificent fai
grounds were secured by the state
The purchase was authorized by thu
Twenty-first general assembly, whicl
met in 1882 The grounds are east O
the city and comprise 266 acres Of LAM
worth at least $1,000 an acre, and I'm
l derlaid with coal worth at least $500 al
acre. The legislature appropriated $50
900 for the purchase of the grounds
and the people of Des Moines donate
, $50 1000 additional which went int
buildings. These buildings now are be
! ing replaced by permanent structure
of brick. The history Of the fairs whicl
is put forth by Secretary Simpson ha
picture as an illustration showini
some Of the original structures. Amonl
I them was grand stand without roo
, ! or cover of any kind.
Officers of Association.
III President Smith was succeeded b