Histories: Trempealeau Co. Historical Accounts:
"History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin, 1917":
Chapter 23: More Historical Papers
The Galesville Fair
-As transcribed from pages 890 - 891
The agricultural fair or "cattle
show" was a tradition brought from the Eastern States, from whence most
of the settlers came. In 1859 the time seemed ripe for such a
venture in Trempealeau County. The rich virgin soil had brought
forth abundantly. The pioneers were boasting of vegetables of
great size, of experiments made in raising the standard of crops, of
excellent results with stock, and of the success in solving the many
problems incidental to the creation of a rich agricultural region from
the hills and valleys that had only a few years before been an
untraversed wilderness. A fair would not only give the
widely-scattered settlers a chance to compare experiences and results,
but would also demonstrate the resources of the county and attract
immigration.
Accordingly a call was issued and the Trempealeau County Agricultural
Society duly organized at the Court House on October 1, 1859.
"A. Call. -- We, the undersigned desirous of organizing an Agricultural
Society in the County of Trempealeau, do appoint a meeting for that
purpose, to be held in the Court Hosue at Galesville, on the 1st of
October, 1859, at 2 o'clock p.m. It is to be hoped and expected
that every town in the county will be fully represented. The
cause is one that should engage the attention of everyone. Come,
old and young, that we may have two essential qualities - experience
and fire. - George H. Smith, A. Cary, Isaac Clark, George Gale, Alex.
A. Arnold, Ryland Parker, Samuel F. Harris, William T. Clark, Romanzo
Bunn and George Y. Freeman, of Gale, and H. Lake and John B. Duning, of
Preston."
The officers chosen were: President, George H. Smith;
vice-presidents, Isaac Noyes, Alex. A. Arnold and John B. Duning;
secretary, George Y. Freeman; treasurer, Isaac Clark; general
committee, John C. French, of Gale; Cyrus E. Turner, of Trempealeau;
Henry Lake, of Preston; Jacob T. Holmes, of Caledonia; David Bishop, of
Arcadia, and Willard H. Thomas, of Sumner. W. A. Johnson, a few
days later, was appointed general superintendent.
Preparations were at once made for the first fair. Seventy-five
men contributed $1.00 each, and the people of Galesville turned out
with axes and grubhoes and cleared the brush fromt he lower table about
where the Public Square is now located and surrounded it with a race
track, a track rough and uneven, but nevertheless one which answered
its purpose. The fair was duly held October 21 and 22. The
entries numbered 168 and the competition was keen. All the cash
awards were returned by the prize winners. On the second day an
address was delivered by Prof. Samuel Fallows. At the 1860 fair
the exhibits were increased in number and quality. The third fair
was held at Trempealeau in 1861, the only fair of the society that has
been held outside of Galesville. Preparations were being made for
the Civil War, and a feature of the gathering was a military parade by
the Galesville Grays and the Trempealeau Guards.
In the fall of 1862 fair grounds were purchased from Isaac Clark, and the fair of that year held at the new location.
The annual fairs were held on these grounds until 1892, whent he
present grounds were purchased and put in use that fall for the
Thirty-third Annual Fair. Improvements which were at once
inaugurated have continued until the grounds and equipment are numbered
among the best in the State.
Some 20 years later interest in the fairs seemed to wane. From
the first the maintenance of the fair had been a financial burden to
the people of Galesville, and vicinity, and had frequently necessitated
contributions of considerable size. The unpaid $1,000 due for the
property was a constant menace to the existence of the organization.
New life was infused in 1907 when the citizens organized the Galesville
Park, Fair & Improvement Company and by soliciting subscriptions
paid the outstanding indebtedness on the property and took over the
land which it leases to the Agricultural Society free. Since then
the fairs have increased in importance and success, until the year
1916, when rumor of an infantile paralysis scourge reduced both the
attractions and the attendance.
The present officers are: President, Carl McKeeth;
vice-president, Emil Francar; secretary, Ben W. Davis; treasurer, J. A.
Kellerman. The executive committee consists of the officers and
of all the living ex-residents, of whom there are now two, Capt. D. D.
Chappell and N. H. Carhart.
The Trempealeau Valley Poultry Association, incorporated Feb. 21, 1913,
was organized as the Trempealeau County Poultry & Breeders'
Associaotn in October, 1912, by M. F. Risinger, John A. Markham, Walter
E. Sprecher, L. C. Larson, H. J. Hacker, C. A. Sherwood, C. C. Kremer
and Bert Thompson. In 1914 Mr. Markham succeeded Mr. Risinger as
president. Shows have been held as follows: 1912,
Whitehall; 1913, Independence; 1914, Blair; 1915, Alma Center; 1916,
Arcadia. The 1917 show is scheduled to be held at Independence,
but probably will not be held on account of war conditions.