The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-08-23
KE0KUK WAS A
STATE FAIR CITY
Thomas w. Claggett Was President
of Fair Association, and Dr.. J. M.
shaffer Was the First
Secretary.
CONTEST FOR THE SHOW
Various Iowa Cities Contested for
the State Fair but Isaac Brandt
Captured 1t for Des
Moines.

The following historical article
about the Iowa state fair is by L. F.
Andrews and appeared in recent
edition of the Des Moines Register
and Leader:
In 1853 Iowa was the only free
state in the union that did not hold
state fair. Several counties in the
eastern portion of the state had Gus
tom of holding annual fairs. Oct 10,
1853, the board of directors of the JEFF
ferson County Agricultural society
held meeting in Fairfield at which
the officers of the society were in
structed to proceed at once to devise
measures for the organization of a
State Agricultural society, and, If ros-
sible, secure the holding of state
fair one year from that date.
A committee was appointed to con
fer with the different agricultural
societies in the state, and ask them to
! send delegates to a convention to be
held at Fairfield, Dec. %, to perfect
the organization of state society. AS
merchants, mechanics, and profession
al men, as well as farmers are INFER
ested, they be urged to attend The
convention.
When the convention convened, the
counties of Jefferson, Lee. Van Buren,
.Wapello were represented. The So
ciety was duly organized, constltu-
ton and bylaws adopted. The consti-
I'D hot hn nf
organization should be THE Iowa
State Agricultural society,"" that its
object should be the promotion OF
agriculture, horticulture, manufacture,
mechanics, and household arts.
Thomas w Claggett, a lawyer of keo'
kuk, Lee County, was elected presi-
4 dent and DR.. J. M. Shaffer Of Jeffer'
son county, secretary.
The first fair was held Oct. "a and
25, 1854, at Fairfield, ON about six
acres. now the depot grounds OF the
! Burlington road, which were enclosed
with railfence ten feet high. On
one side of the enclosure, next to the
/ fence. was a shed $50 feet in length
with table running its entire length
on which exhibits were placed. On the
/ opposite side stalls and pens made Of
rails were placed for live stock
] There was fine display of live
stock. agricultural implements, farm
products and articles of domestic
manufacture. The dairy was vel
represented, especially by cheese
L Hc uh ypo
sented to Governor Grimes by mis-
Lee county friends Polk county wa:
represented by a fine collection o
mounted birds prevalent in Des
4 Moines valley, belonging to Billy
Moore of Des Moines. 1t attracted
great attention. The most attractive
/ feature of the show was the eques
trian exhibit by her women. Presiden
Clagett had purchased gold wa.ch
valued at 500. which he offered as (;
prize to the best equestrian. Their
were nine contestants. Taggart award
ed the prize to Miss Henry of Keokuk
but the onlookers were decidedly o
the opinion that Miss Eliza ]. Hedge
only 13 years old, who from the da1
ing style of her riding, and the pei
feet control she maintained of tn
horse she rode, high spirited animal
a stranger to her, the property Of ID
~. C. Ware of Fairfield, was entitle'
Ito the watch. In evidence of it
purse of s165 was quickly raised an
presented to the Iowa City girl" a
they called her, and provision wa
made for her attendance free O
charge three terms at the Ladies
seminary in Fairfield and one term a
the Wesleyan seminary, Mt. Pleasant
which she thankfully accepted Man
other presents were also given her.
In 1856 the fair was put on wheel
and offered to the city or town tina
give the biggest bonus for it. TIL
4 contest was between the older cite
in the eastern part Of the state, de
Moines not being financially fixed {
compete for it. Dubuque, Keokul