The Delaware Valley Fair, 1880s

Compiled by Betty Jane Wilson, society president

The story of a Valley Falls fair from the pages of a scrap book of newspaper articles dated 1938 compiled and saved by the late Sallie Blue, a Valley Falls teacher and librarian:

Former Fairs at Valley Falls—A Glimpse at the Record Book of 1880-84 when the Delaware Valley Fair Association was in its Glory.

We are indebted to Mrs. John Campbell, daughter of M. M. Maxwell—during his life one of the most enthusiastic boosters for county fairs, and in 1884 secretary of the Delaware Valley Fair Association, putting on fairs and races on what is now F. F. Hurst's wheatfield southeast of town—for the secretary's book containing the names of prize winners for the fairs of 1880-1884.

Checking over the list for '80 we note there were few exhibits of cattle—George Hensley and J. M. Huber, both of Meriden, being the biggest exhibitors; but when it came to horses and mules there must have been a demand for extra stable room. Horse breeders were present from Atchison, Leavenworth, Topeka, Oskaloosa, Winchester, Ozawkie, Pardee, Grove City (ever hear of a town of this name in Jefferson county—there was one then) besides the following from this place: Adam and J. H. Faulk, Dave German, I. C. Webster, J. J. Gardiner, Herm Newman, Ed. Farrar, Dick Simpson, Ed. Hutchins, Bob Marsh, Walter and Finley Ferguson, Wm. T. Booth, Chas. Hudspeth.

A good display of sheep were shown and among the owners were George Goodrich and son Harry.

In the swine department Park Murray apparently got most of the ribbons.

Apparently there was little attention paid to poultry in those days, but in '84 this division began to pick up and the name of Andrew Mitchell was at the top of the winners in his class.

In the display of farm and kitchen implements—a department the present fair should encourage—Doolittle Bros. & Judson had a display of hand made kitchen tinware, E. L. Weybright got a prize on a churn and farm wagon made by the "Delaware Manufacturing Co.," and V. P. Newman had an exhibit of harrows and plows made by the "Great Western Blacksmith Shop" —you may note Valley Falls was an industrial center in those days, why not now?

In the farm products department a difference was made in the classification of bottom and upland raised corn, but other than white and yellow there was no distinction—what would these men think now when Boone county White and Reids Yellow Dent are so carefully graded—to, say nothing of the "hybrids" but even so the following were good farmers in their day and believed in showing their neighbors how it was done; and such men deserve the sincere thanks and approbation of those who have profited by their early experiments and sacrifices, such men were M. M. Maxwell, Dave Smith, A. A. Murray, T. A. Hatfield, L. H. Gest, Ben Reppert, Geo. Reppert, Wm. Bechtel, John Corkadel, George Corkadel, George VanGaasbeek, Sam Washington, of Ozawkie; L. E. Stone, of Londale, (ever hear of this town in Jackson county ?).

In the fine arts department the ladies demonstrated their industry and ability in the line of knitting, worsted work on cardboard, crocheting, plain and fancy quilting, lacework, embroidery, wax-work, and painting in oil—a few of the contestants are still actively interested in the affairs of the present day. Among the names were Mrs. L. E. Stone, of Londale, Mrs. H. B. Schaeffer, of Oskaloosa, Mrs. John Carson and Mrs. Mary J. Graham, of Winchester, Mrs. L. H. Gest, Mrs. I. Friend, Mrs. M. S. Orr, Mrs. Albert Beland, Mrs. G. D. Ingersoll, Mrs. J. G. Waite, Mrs. D. Y. Gallison, Mrs. H. A. McCoy, Mrs. Allen Stockwell, Mrs. S. G. Walters, Mrs. Robt. Marsh, Mrs. E. A. Newman, Mrs. Albert Beland, Mrs. Dr. Hunt, Mrs. Mell Hefty, Mrs. J. H. Murray, Mrs. Henry Legler, Mrs. J. R. Mitchell, Mrs. A. A. Murray, Mrs. Mell Legler, and Misses Pauline Friend, Bertha Greutter, May Murray, Nellie A. Murray, L. E. Goodrich, Lula Goodrich, Blanch Beland, Lizzie Goodman, Etta Murray, Nellie Bishop, Willetta German, Mollie McDaniel, Nellie Grimes, Minnie Maxwell, Jessie Hughan, Ellen Summerfelt, Gertie Barnes, Mollie Gephart, Hattie Hayward, Lida Goodrich, Sadie Blair.

S.R. Shepherd, of Leavenworth, had on exhibition a Singer sewing machine, and D. M. Smith of Oskaloosa, was showing a Wilcox & White parlor organ (Suppose Charley Olden had come along and set a radio in operation?).

That there was some contest in beauty in those days is proven by four entries for the prettiest baby award—Mrs. Mary J. Graham of Winchester, was given first prize, but we'll lay even money that many in the crowd would have given the premium to either Mrs. E. Champion, Mrs. J. Bishop or Mrs. Sarah J. Tosh, who no doubt had just as lovely babies in the showing.

There were always a lot of special prizes offered in those days, all the way from butter, sorghum, honey, girls' dressmaking and baking ability, horseback riding, oil painting, to scrub horse races and footraces. Those who knew "Johnny" Dornblaser in his later years would never have picked him to win a 300-yard foot race against D. Bliss, of Oskaloosa, Joseph Inman, of Topeka, and Norte Gould in 1880, but that is what happened. In this department Miss Lida Goodrich won the prize offered for sponge cake in 1883; Mrs. Mell Legler won first on largest display of fancy work. Nola Webster won the horseback riding prize, with Minnie Piazzek a close second.

And of course they had horse racing. The names most prominent in these contests were George Wolf, of Topeka; G.W. Tanner and L.H. Sargeant, of Leavenworth; Jesse Crall, J.F. Doyle, W.H. Perkins and Thomas S. Towne, of Atchison; Burt Cirtwell, of Monrovia; Walt Johnson, of Menoken; A. Newell, of Oskaloosa, and of course J.J. Gardiner and I.C. Webster. As an extra inducement in the free-for-all trot, George Wolf offered a $25 prize for any horse beating the track record of 2:28, but George had no occasion to part with his money.

What a time they had in those days. Folks would come for miles, camp out and stay the entire three or four days, take in all the side shows, bet a little on the horse races, maybe try to pick the pea under the shell; have a good visit with old friends, and go home satisfied and resolved to make next year's exhibit bigger and better—everyone can have a better time at the fair today than then if each will come with the same mind. Why not try it out this year?

The Valley Falls museum is open at 10 a.m. Saturdays.