State fair

The State Fair here moved to it's present location in the early 1930's. The local VFW built a food stand which later became "The Jewel of the Midway." I went over with my father while it was being built by the members of the local VFW post. And ate there when I had some money.

The fair in those days was much different than today. We were in the depression and work was scarce. The night shows were on a stage in front of the grandstand. The bleachers were off to the left. People did not have much money and the prices were low. The night shows were lavish with a large troop of actors and dancers. And an orchestra inside a wooden fence in front of the stage.

The night shows always packed the grandstand and bleachers. When we were in Junior High and High School we kids went to the fair every day. And we always saw the night shows standing in front of the orchestra up against the wood fence around the orchestra. I do not remember how we got in, but we did not have tickets.

There were singing soloists, duets, Quartets, and choruses. Dance soloists, couples and a chorus line. The back of the stage had a vertical set which changed with each act.

There were dramatic presentations. comedy skits, and our favorite, a group of carpenters building a small house on the stage. It was total orchestrated chaos. One guy was walking around with a 15 foot long 2x12 balanced on his head. As he went by behind another guy who was puzzled with his task, and who's derby hat fell off as he bent over, he caught the derby and stood up and put it back on his head. Except the guy with the board on his head was passing by and the derby did not end up on his head, but instead on the board. So they continued their tasks, and later when the hat less one reached up to take off his hat, it was just passing by on the board, and he took it off the board as if it had been on his head all the time.

After 15 minutes of this chaos the they got their building finished. It was a small out house. The walls all fell down exposing a guy sitting there in his long johns with his bib overalls down around his ankles.

It was fun.