By: Mary E. Mortimer
The Logan County Fair is set to begin its 174th year today. Although the fair exhibits have changed over the years, the heart of the fair has remained the same. The fair has provided a time where the community can come together to share their homemade, home-cooked, and home-grown items, to compete, celebrate and enjoy fellowship.
The early fairs were mostly held in the fall and the weather was sometimes cold and rainy. The Logan County Index newspaper published an article on October 10th about the 1901 Logan County Fair that was held from October 1st through October 4th.
“The Logan County Fair of 1901 is a thing of the past. The crowds have all gone and today what was a scene of thousands of hustling bustling human beings is a depopulated place, and those who made exhibits are there gathering their stuff together, counting up their premium money and congratulating each other on the success of the exposition. The attendance despite the chilly weather was the largest of any county fair in Logan County and was larger than that of any adjoining county fairs.”
The 1901 fair was the first-year horses, except for track horses, were admitted from adjoining counties, and they nearly had too many. George McCarty, a horse trainer, exhibited and won first place with a four-month-old draft colt that weighed 610 pounds. After the fair, plans were made to add more stalls for horses.
Harness racing was featured for two days of the fair and drew an estimated 12,000 people. Among the local winners was Barney Jewel, a bay gelding owned by St. Clair Jewel of Bellefontaine, who won the 2:28 pace in straight heats after he lost to “Nutmeg” in the first heat. The 2:28 pace was said to have been “as pretty a race as was ever seen on the grounds”. Another Logan County horse, Gaynelle Hope, a bay mare owned by Silas R. Kauffman of Harrison Township, won the county trot or pace.
The Art and Floral Halls had so many entries there were hardly enough judges to review and select the winners. Before the fair started, the inside Art Hall walls were wallpapered with ornate wallpaper that helped accent the beautiful exhibits.
The Logan County Index also printed the following fair notations:
- “Mrs. J.H. Wilson displayed a number of handmade bead purses in the Art Hall. She said the demand for her purses was almost greater than she could supply.”
- “At the Floral Hall, Poole & Purllant took 28 first premiums and two seconds. They received first premium on the largest and best display of plants, and first on the largest display of cut flowers. Everybody remarked on the beauty of the floral display. It was never equaled in the history of Logan County fairs.”
- “The awards in the picture and painted china department gave general satisfaction.”
- “Two ladies who had visited the State Fair remarked that there was twice as fine a display of needlework here as there was at Columbus.”
- “Mott Dickinson, of North Greenfield, had a fine display of carrier pigeons, pouters, fantails, and tumblers in the poultry department.”
- “Mr. Ben F. Plank was awarded a premium for his black team of horses. He also made a fine display of poultry.”
- “Commodore Bevis certainly deserves all the praise for the big, nice display of Belgian and other breeds of hares, Guinea pigs, and fowls. The Old as well as the young folks did not tire of looking at them. And poultry, oh my! We will not try to describe them for we could not do them justice.”
- “Dr. J.S. Blair’s fine Jersey’s took a number of premiums.”
- “The “pumpkin show” has increased in interest each succeeding year it has been under management of secretary E. Pat Chamberlin.”
- “Mr. C.S. Hockett received first premium on his piano at the Fair.”
- “Robert Hamilton took ten first premiums on his chickens and on his goldfish and ferns. He has a better display of goldfish than that at the Pan American Exposition.”
- “Kingsbury & Crockett, the carriage men, took four first premiums in their carriage display.”
- “Kid Miller took first premium on his “half and half” buggy.”
- “The DeGraff Band pleased everybody.”
- “Mr. Landgon, the mattress manufacturer, took a number of red cards on his fine display.”
- “Tired-out fairgoers always found a warm welcome at the W.C.T.U. (Women’s Christian Temperance Union) headquarters. The state prohibition ticket was displayed outside their headquarters.”
- “Secretary Chamberlin made Children’s Day a success. The Angora goats please the children. The little folks will long remember the fair of 1901.”
- “Secretary Chamberlin took $200 in nickels to one of the banks today. They spent half the morning counting.”
Be sure to visit the History Center booth in the Merchants Building at the Logan County Fairgrounds. We have High School class composite books, and you can test your Indian Lake knowledge with our trivia board.
Visit the Logan County History Center at 521 E. Columbus Ave., Bellefontaine, Ohio 43311, to learn more interesting aspects of Logan County History.
The History Center is open for tours Wednesday – Sunday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
