THE BIRTH AND GROWTH OF THE WAUPACA COUNTY FAIR

By Frank Haffner

The first fair in Waupaca County was held in the City of Waupaca in the fall of 1873. The potato and rye crops were very good that year, as well as the price, which helped to make the first fair a success. Farm produce and livestock exhibits were fine. The father of this writer was traveling a stallion at that time and he made the first entry of his horse, which won him a first prize of $3.00. This fair was put on by Judge Ogden who had built a race track on his lots, and trained race horses.

With the success of this first fair another was planned and staged the following year. However, this one proved very unsuccessful as the potato crop was ruined by blight, and the price very low, because the eastern states had a large bumper crop. Rye, too, was a poor crop as it froze while in blossom in June.

It was this same year that Weyauwega became interested in fairs and very hurriedly decided to put on a fair that same fall – about the last week in September 1874 – which proved a success.

A number of civic-minded pioneers of Weyauwega recognized the importance of a fair and the benefits derived from such an enterprise, so an organization was formed to conduct the fair at Weyauwega. This organization first consisted of 134 members, 69 of whom paid their dues of $1.00 for the first year. Thereafter life memberships were sold at $10.00. However, in 1922 life memberships were called in and shares were fixed at par value of $30.00. For two years the fair was held in the northeastern part of the village now the city of Weyauwega. The total receipts of the first fair amounted to $352.79 and the total disbursements to $352.79. Farmers from the surrounding territory brought their livestock and farm produce and proudly exhibited same. At the time Weyauwega was in possession of a Civil War cannon, and it was advertised that it was to be shot off at 3:30 in the afternoon. The Stier Band furnished the musical entertainment and their members also sold popcorn, ice cream and homemade candy either at stands or from wagons.

This was a humble beginning, yet the promoters were not discouraged, but put on a fair every year, and each year the fair continued to grow, attracting more exhibitors and naturally a bigger attendance.

The first officers of the association were John Baxter, President; William Springer, Treasurer; E.W. Brown, Recording Secretary; and F.M. Sackett, Corresponding Clerk. It was at this time that 20 acres of land was acquired from January Carpenter, father of Edward and George Carpenter of Weyauwega, which is part of the present fair grounds.

The venture evidently was successful because it kept going through fair and foul weather, war and depression, until at this date it is one of the outstanding county fairs in the state.

After the purchase of the 20 acres of land, the association built lean-roof cattle and horse sheds along the sides of the grounds. The first fence was built of wood with 4-inch strips running up and down – 7 feet high, and pointed at the top. A half-mile race track was built, as well as the erection of a grand stand that seated about 200 people. The poultry exhibits were placed in coops along the outside fence just to the left of where the people drove in at the main gate. Pens were built to house the hogs.

The old timers, what few are left, tell what stirring races they had in those days. Charlie Gibson, a local horseman, was the official starter.

In the early days people came to the fair with horse and wagon. Pa, Ma, and all the kids piled in and brought some neighbors along and made a big day of it. A merry-go-round was about the only ride on the grounds, and this was pulled around by a horse on the inside.

As the attendance grew larger and larger each year, a larger grand stand had to be built at a cost of $2,375.00, and which seated about 800 people. It was about this time – 1916 – that night fairs were started.

Entries were open to Waupaca County and the six adjoining counties. Entries were received from the north as far as Spencer; sheep were brought in from the south as far as Rush Lake, and swine were brought fro Winnebago and Outagamie Counties. Later the entries were restricted to Waupaca and Waushara Counties and the Town of Wolf River in Winnebago County.

In the year 1920 the officials were notified by the inspectors of the State Board of Health that the fair would either have to discontinue racing, or discontinue having refreshment stands because of the great amount of dust that was raised during the time the races were run.

In view of this situation, a tract of land which joined the grounds on the north side, and consisting of about 13 acres, was purchased from Mrs. Hudson Meiklejohn and August Joerns and thereon built the present one-half mile race track. The cost of the land and the building of the track amounted to $6,934.00.

1927 was a banner year for the Waupaca County Fair. Total receipts were $23,602.00. The Board of Directors ran the fair at all times and each director had his own job to do. The association was in debt many times, but always made a go of it. The following little incident will prove my point as to how we always made a go of it. In 1902 the old picket fence had come to the end of its usefulness and was replaced by a woven wire fence. John Richter, a farmer living in the Town of Weyauwega, had a wire-fence weaving machine and he agreed to weave the wire for the fence around the outside of the 20 acres for a share in the fair, par value at that time being $30.00. A few years before the fence was erected a horse dealer in Weyauwega agreed to furnish all the lumber for new barns if he could have his firm name, "W.W. Crane & Sons, Dealer in Draft Horses, Weyauwega, Wisconsin", painted on the front side of the barns.

In 1942 the Fair Association resolved to offer the grounds and all its improvements to Waupaca County for the indebtedness against the grounds, amounting to about $7,000.00, and under the condition that the County rent paid property to the Fair Association for the purpose of holding the annual fair, at a fee of $1.00 per year, for as long as the association is in existence, and any profits made by the association in conducting the fair, about a general working fund, shall be turned over to the County, some to be invested in improvements on the fair grounds. Accepted by the Waupaca County Board.

As time went on the old grandstand became too small and in 1948 was replaced by a new, modern concrete structure with a seating capacity of about 2800.

In 1950, a day after the fair was over, a tornado passed through Weyauwega, and buildings on the grounds were twisted, and trees destroyed. Needless to say, it was a very lucky thing that the fair was over.

And so the Waupaca County Fair has continued to grow, bigger and bigger, 1958 having a total of 1160 exhibitors and a total of 9000 exhibits.