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Discovering History The County Fair

Discovering History The County Fair by Paul Wolter & Beverly Vaillancourt, M.Ed Contribution by Bill Schuette design by PowerUp Design, LLC

images courtesy of the Sauk County Historical Society

Sauk County Historical Society 900 2nd Avenue PO Box 651 Baraboo, Wisconsin 53913 saukcountyhistory.org ©2023 Sauk County Historical Society Press Printed by Minutemen Press, Baraboo, WI, USA All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any means, electronic, recorded, or otherwise, without the express prior written consent of the Sauk County

Words to Know 4-H

Sauk County Agricultural Society

acres

showcase

agriculture

volunteers

carnival categories exhibit fairgrounds Future Farmers of America grandstand pledge pursue racetrack 1

The County Fair Today the county fair is held once a year in the summer. Here people can see farm animals, enjoy the carnival rides, and watch the many events that take place at the fairgrounds. It is a fun time. Let’s look at its history. In 1855 a group of people formed the Sauk County Agricultural Society. The word agriculture refers to farms. The goal of the group was to showcase the importance of farming. One way to do that was to have a county fair. The first county fair was held near the Courthouse on the Square on October 16, 1855. What a special day that was for Sauk County! People learned about farm animals, homemade goods, and the latest in farm equipment. The fair was a great success. After fifteen years a new location was needed for the growing fair.

Discovering History

In 1870 the Sauk County Agricultural Society bought 40 acres of land. They paid $1,540 for the land. They decided 40 acres was too much land for the county fair so they sold 20 acres for $600. The county fair had a new home! Buildings for farm animals were built. A racetrack for horses and fencing were set up. A lot of people worked together to make the new fairgounds a very special place. If you go to the county fair, you will walk on the land purchased by the Sauk County Agricultural Society in 1870. By 1890 an idea that started 35 years earlier had grown into a very busy and exciting county fair. Let’s take a look at this historic photo of the county fair. How can you tell it is an historic photo? What details in the photo help to tell the story of the county fair?

Horse racing at the county fair Over the years some of the buildings were torn down and new ones built. People came to the fair to see cows, horses, pigs, chickens, ducks, and other farm animals. They enjoyed watching people race on horses and on bikes. Soon there were car races.

A grandstand was built. This gave people a safe place for watching the races and other events, such as horses pulling heavy loads. When do you think this photo of a bicycle race was taken? If you said early 1900s, you are correct. What details in the photo tell the story of bicycle racing at the county fair? What can you learn from the parade photo below?

Parade at the county fairgrounds

4-H Comes to the County Fair Today adults and children exhibit all kinds of things at the county fair. Prizes are awarded in different categories. Youth who are in clubs, such as 4H and Future Farmers of America (FFA), can exhibit their animals or projects at the fair.”

The first 4-H club began in 1902. Here is its emblem. Each “H” stands for a word:

Head Heart Hands Health 6

Here is the 4-H Club pledge. A pledge is a promise you make when you join a club. I pledge my head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger service, and my health to better living, for my club, my community, my country, and my world. 4-H in Sauk County is part of the University of Wisconsin. Youth that are a part of 4-H have many projects. These may be things that really interest you, such as raising goats, building robots, or planting a vegetable garden. You can exhibit, or show, your project at the Sauk County Fair and receive feedback from a fair judge.

To learn more about 4H, contact the University Extension Office found at the West Square Building in Baraboo or go to https://4-h.org/. To learn more about Future Farmers of America, contact the high school office of your local school district or go to https://www.ffa.org/. 7

Many people volunteer their time to set up the fair and judge youth projects. People who volunteer their time are called volunteers. They do not get paid for their time or work. They volunteer their time because they really like the county fair and like to see all the projects youth make. They also want to help youth pursue, or stay with, their interests so they learn more all the time.

From the Past to the Future It wasn’t long before Sauk County farmers replaced steam-powered tractors with gas-powered tractors. Yet, throughout those years, the Sauk County Fair continued. It grew to showcase new farm equipment and new ways to care for farm animals. Today people from near and far come to the Sauk County Fair for a week of fun and learning found every July at the Sauk County Fairgrounds. From the past to the future, the Sauk County Fair honors the rich agricultural history and future of Sauk County. 9

The Old Baraboo Race Track by Bill Schuette Back in the late 1860s, before the eve of the baseball era had arrived, one of the significant forms of entertainment in Sauk County was horse racing. Up until then, races were held in various locations, none really suited for the occasion. One year it might be in a farmer’s meadow, the next year on a county highway. Village streets and even the frozen surface of Devils Lake were venues for the event. Some of the prominent horse-men of Baraboo decided they needed a more suitable and permanent location for these races. A 160 acre site was located on the east side of town, between Elizabeth and Camp Streets, bordered by 4th and 8th Streets. It was described as being a wild land, covered with underbrush and small trees. The land was cleared and graded and a half mile oval racetrack was constructed which was enclosed with a high board fence. The men who participated in the races, either as horse owners, drivers or attendants, were some of the most popular and respected people in the city for their importance. In 1924 Harry Slye noted that, “To us small boys especially, their importance was marvelous, and our admiration for them knew no limits. In our comparison to them, all the leaders of the late Civil War would have attracted no more of our attention.”

Even though many of the horses—with names like Old Harry, Red Rover, and Icicle—looked similar in size and color, die hard racing fans seemed to be able to identify their favorite which they would cheer on. By the 1870s, the old Baraboo racetrack had become outdated. The Sauk County Agricultural Society had established the current fairgrounds, which also had a racetrack, and the former was dismantled and abandoned.

Think about It

• Open your History Journal. • Write the definitions of the Words to Know. • Write a paragraph sharing what you learned about what happens at a county fair. • What do you think it was like driving a steam-powered tractor or racing a horse at the Sauk County Fair? Write a story about it. • What do you think it would be like to bring an animal to the county fair to show to others? What animal would you bring? What would you say? • Add one interesting idea to your History Journal. Share your idea with someone else. 12

Projects • Use the photo on page 3 to write a story about the county fair in in the early 1900s. • Look carefully at the county fair poster on page 2. Have you ever kept a diary? A diary is a special journal people like to keep to write about their daily thoughts and activities. Write a diary entry about a day at the Sauk County Fair as shown on the poster. • Write a poem about the county fair. • Interview an older person who went to the Sauk County Fair as a child. Ask the person about what the fair was like then and how it has changed. You will be learning about the individual’s history and point of view. Record your interview. Ask the person if you can share the interview with others. • Create a poster to encourage people to go to the Sauk County Fair this summer. What will you put on your poster? How different will your poster be from the primary source poster printed long ago? • Design a project of your own, or with a classmate, to help others learn about the county fair. Perhaps you can make your own slideshow or video about the fair. Contact the Sauk County Historical Society for images you can use or use photos you have taken when at the county fair. 13

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Baraboo, Wisconsin

Discovering History: The County Fair