Do you have fond memories of attending or participating in a county fair? Since it is Fair Week in Seneca (Nemaha County), today’s post recounts some of the history of the Nemaha County fair.
According to the Seneca Weekly Courier, the Board of Trade of Seneca appointed a Fair Committee in 1882.
The Board of Trade of Seneca last week appointed a Fair Committee (consisting of Wm. Histed, Abijah Wells, Geo. A. Marvin, C. G. Scrafford, and Mort. Mathews) to look into the matter and work up something in that line. The first fact the committee learned was that the only piece of ground near Seneca in every way fitted for fair grounds was about to be sold; and in order to hold the same for fair use must be bought at once. Judge Histed and J. H. Williams therefore went to work, and on Friday last raised by subscription $2,300 for the purchase of forty-five acres of the piece of land owned by Edwin Knowles south of the depot; and C. C. K. Scoville having the agency for the sale, he and Judge Histed went to Sabetha and made the purchase for the amount raised, paying $2,257.55. The following-named gentlemen “put up” $100 each for the purchase: William Histed, Willis Brown, A. H. Burnett, Joshua Mitchell, G. R. Benedict, Abijah Wells, G. A. Marvin, A. L. Stone, J. H. Hatch, L. Cohen, R. E. Nelson, C. G. Scrafford, G. W. Williams, R. M. Emery, S. J. Edgerly, James Parsons, Mort. Mathews, H. C. Settle, West E. Wilkinson, G. W. Johnson, J. H. Williams, Thos. Bennett, sen., and E. M. Miller.
At a meeting called to determine further in the matter, Wm. Histed, Willis Brown, and Geo. W. Williams were appointed trustees to hold the land in trust, “to be disposed of as a majority of the purchasers determine.”
The Board of Trade committee were also instructed to interview the Board of County Commissioners, and have the question of purchase of fair grounds submitted to vote at the November election. The law provides that the County may purchase and improve fair grounds, and appropriate not to exceed 13/4 mills on the dollar of the taxable valuation of the county for the purpose. The gentlemen who made the purchase above hold the land subject to the acceptance of the people upon re-payment of their investment. They bought the land simply to keep it within reach for fair grounds.
There has been considerable fair talk off and on for years; and we do not know of an individual resident of Nemaha county who does not want one. Parties who have talked the matter up in different parts of the county are sanguine that the question of purchase by the County Board will be ratified by a large majority of the voters. And hence there seems a prospect finally for a fair in Nemaha county; a fair that will be owned by the county, and thus remain permanent in the people.
There was some talk of holding a fair this fall; but upon discussion the matter has been dropped. The grounds are in no shape; the season is late; and we want to start the Nemaha County Fair in first-class shape, and make it a success from the first. That can be better done when the County purchase the grounds and possess the title. The fair will then be owned by all the people, and they will become personally interested in its management and success.
In the meantime The Courier is open to correspondents who have a word of encouragement. Let’s all talk fair, vote for fair grounds, and then make our annual fair the one big thing of Nemaha county.
In the fall of 1872, the county voted on a bill to accept the land and reimburse the original purchasers. However, the citizens rejected the plan.
Last summer an association of our citizens bought about 40 acres of land adjoining Seneca, with a view of securing the most suitable site for county fair grounds, as it was likely to reach a price in a short time that would preclude its purchase for that purpose. This site was offered to the county at cost, to enable those most interested to take charge of the Fair Association if they desired to do so. It was submitted to the voters of the county at the recent election, and the proposition of the county buying the grounds was lost. It is unnecessary to reply to the misrepresentations of those who would rather not have a county fair if it could not be made tributary to their selfish interests, however inconvenient their location might be for the advantage of the county. These “dogs in the manger” are an unfortunate class of people, and they seldom accomplish much. Their work is to tear down, not to build up a county.
As soon as it was ascertained that the vote of last week had been adverse to the proposition submitted, the citizens who purchased the said site offered to turn the same over to any organization desiring to use the same for a county fair, at the same price they gave for it, although they could have sold it at an advance of $500. An organization was immediately begun, and will be completed within a few days, by which Nemaha county will have a fair in the autumn of 1883. It is proposed to organize under the laws of the State with a capital of $5,000 paid in; this to be divided into fifty shares of $100 each. Already 45 shares have been taken, and those who desire to unite with the association will need to apply at once, for the remaining shares will be taken before our next issue, which will contain further details of the organization. Application for shares may be made to the editor of The Courier; and while the success of the fair is beyond further question, and no outside subscriptions of stock are necessary, yet it is desired to offer a chance to such enterprising citizens throughout the county as would like to become members in the Association.
After the defeat, the citizens of Nemaha county came together to form the Nemaha County Fair Association.
The stock-holders of the Nenana Fair Association met at the Armory on Tuesday evening for the adoption of by-laws for the government of the Association. There was a full attendance and $3,500 stock reported taken. The complete set of by-laws was adopted, requiring annual meetings the first Tuesday of March, and leaving the management otherwise in the hands of the directors. Officers are to be selected at Saturday’s fair in Nenana on Wednesday next, Dec. 9, at 10 o’clock, by the directors.
