When Randy and I went to the fair on Sun. Aug. 11th, after looking at the goats, he went to see if his brother Ricky (“Elvis Himselvis”) needed any help before performing at the Miller tent.
I took the opportunity to go into the grandstand where there were many, many historic photos and objects of interest. I could have spent a lot more time there than I did because I waned to look at everything and read all the captions, but I managed to see quite a bit.
I’m not sure why this is on display at the fairgrounds, but this is the “Icon of Freedom,” a recreation of Lincoln’s funeral hearse that took Abe’s body from the train station to the cemetery. I guess it needed to be on display somewhere?
A bunch of random old State Fair souvenirs. You can’t get anything cool like that anymore. I have a t-shirt, a couple of mugs, a skoozie, a visor and a mini license plate. But nothing this fancy.
What an outfit! This tot was Little Miss something or other, and I don’t know why there wasn’t a card identifying her. Sad to think that she’s probably no longer with us.
I’m totally mystified by this. It’s so funny, but what on earth is it??? The sign on the bottom says something about the number of eggs dropped per hour, but so weird and funny. I wish I had one of those giant chickens with an umbrella.
The “1949 Dairy Dream Girl with Butter Cow & Butter farmer and dog.” Hmm, I wonder when they did away with the Dairy Dream Girl?
There were many butter cow-related photos. I liked this one, removing butter from the Butter Cow, because you never think about the fact that is has to be taken down.
This was a box of promotional material for the Giant Slide. I’d love one of those boxes.
Many elected officials have stopped at the fair, but I thought this one of Richard Nixon incongruous. Hard to imagine that he’d have relished a corn dog and a ride down the giant slide.
A poster from the grandstand lineup from 1952. Louis Armstrong opened the fair on the first Friday. The first Saturday night featured the “WLS Barn Dance,” which, at the time was the oldest continuously run show on radio. The ad boasts that “Its amazing popularity is based on its sure-fire formula, sparked by lightness, gaiety and old fashioned merriment, which appeals to rural and metropolitan audiences alike.” Gee whiz, I’d have liked to have seen that.
From Monday through Friday was the “State Fair All Star Revue.” It featured “fast-moving entertainment of every kind.”
The last Saturday included James Garner, Jane Russell, Peggy King, the Dukes of Dixieland, Jonathan Winters and the Frankie Masters Orchestra.
Next year for sure I’ll make time to see even more of the history of the fair. I might have to go to the fair by myself for that one.
Ok then,
Mrs. Nearly the End of October Hughes.