History
1850's
In
November of 1855, an ad hoc committee gathered in Hartford to take
the first steps toward organizing an agricultural society. Approximately
one year later a meeting was held at the Courthouse in West Bend
where a constitution and bylaws were adopted. The same time, a full
board of officers was selected, thereby creating the "Washington
County Agricultural and Industrial Society". The society's
mission was to promote and improve the condition of agriculture,
horticulture, mechanical manufacturing and household arts within
Washington County.
1860’s
There
was no Fair held in 1862 due to the Civil War. However, the Fair
resumed in 1865 and was held in Hartford. In 1867, land was purchased
for $65 an acre. The land accommodated a ½ mile track on
the north end of the 25 acre site. It cost $400 to develop the track.
The Fair was held for three days in September each year. Approximately
10,000 people attended the Fair annually. $192.75 was paid out in
premiums; expenses for the Fair was $19.19 and State aid from Wisconsin
was $100. Admission to the Fair was 25 cents for adults, 10 cents
for children,
25 cents for a one horse carriage and 50 cents for a two horse carriage.
1870’s
A
new secretary was hired in 1873. In 1876, $200 was appropriated
to build an art gallery on the fairgrounds. Racing continued to
be a popular entertainment attraction at the Fair.
1920’s
The
Fair went through hard times during the 1920’s. Washington
County supplemented the Society with $4,000. In 1929, no money was
received. By the late 1920’s, the Fair was not profitable.
1930’s
In
1937, the Society and Washington County worked out an arrangement
whereby the county would take over the operation of the Fair. The
1937 County Fair, the last Fair to be held in West Bend, was held
August 13-15 and considered by many to have been one of the most
successful Fairs. Attendance ranged between 40,000 and 60,000 annually
over the years. In October, the buildings and grounds were sold
and in May of 1938, the Society dissolved turning all assets over
to the County Board. The County Board, under the direction of a
Fair Committee, began to sponsor the Fair.
The
Washington County Fair Committee held the first Fair at the County
Highway grounds in Slinger on August 9-10, 1938. It was called the
Washington County 4-H Fair.
1940's
The
1943 Fair was called the Washington County Victory Fair. Washington
County understood the limitation of the Slinger site, and in the
late 40's, it was noted that one of the major problems confronting
the management of the Fair was the inadequate parking space for
cars. Many exhibits had to be placed in tents due to lack of space.
Due to the increased costs of running a free Fair, additional county
aid was being requested. Requests were made for office space, exhibit
buildings, band stands, as well as adequate electrical connections.
The
1945 Fair marked the first Fair held in July and has continued to
be held on the last full weekend of the month of July. The dates
were set for the last week of July because of the extreme earliness
of the spring planting season and the fact they were able to book
an attractive midway.
1950's
1958
marked the Centennial Fair. This was the accumulation of many years
of progress wrapped into one big Fair. It was an opportunity for
those people concerned to recall the items, the people and the events
that helped develop the present state of progress.
1960's
The
Washington County Board made funds available for a new water main
in 1961. Barns were painted at a price of $440. The Slinger Fire
Department erected a permanent beverage stand. 50 park benches were
purchased at a price of $297.
1970's
In
1978, serious consideration was given to the idea of moving the
Fair to the Gundrum Farm located on Highway E and J, south of Slinger.
Plans were developed for the site, but due to budget constrictions,
the county did not complete the plans.
1990's
In
the early 90's, the State Health Department mandated that Washington
County upgrade or move the Fair. In 1993, the Washington County
Development Committee began work on the plans for a future site
of a Fair Park. Various sites in the county were considered and
after a lengthy planning process, the decision was made by the Washington
County Board to purchase the property where the present Fair Park
is located.
The
1999 Washington County Fair was held at the newly developed Fair
Park, July 23-27. The Fair facility increased from a 13-acre parcel
in the Village of Slinger to a 133-acre parcel in the Town of Polk.
The 24,000 sq. ft. air conditioned Pavilion Building housed approximately
4,650 junior class, open class and senior citizen exhibits. Four
new livestock barns and a milking facility were built at the corners
of the livestock complex and were complimented in the middle by
a livestock show arena. A seasonal toilet was erected at the north
end of the livestock complex and housed a shower facility for exhibitors.
Two wash racks were built which enabled 40 animals to be washed
at a single time.
For
the first time, national entertainment was offered to fairgoers
at no additional charge. Visitors were treated to the rock group
"Styx" and country acts "Trace Adkins" and "The
Oak Ridge Boys".
An
admission fee was charged at $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for youth.
Children 8 and under were free. In spite of Fair officials dealing
with 5" of rain the evening before opening day, a record attendance
was set at 75,000 people.
2000's
The
2000 Fair, held July 24-28, was a great success. Fairgoers returned
for a second year, commenting they felt they were attending the
Fair for the first time as the grounds had improved tremendously
from the previous year. The Pavilion Building was once again filled
with 630 junior exhibitors and 478 open class exhibitors showing
a total of 4,448 junior exhibits and 2,214 open class exhibits.
A tent was erected for llamas and the goats were housed under the
overhangs of the Sheep/Swine barn.
A
draft horse barn and a pleasure horse barn were added to the complex.
Entrance signs were installed off of the main roadways as well as
additional asphalt paving, wayfinding signs, street signs and plantings
and trees throughout the Park. WTKM Radio, Hartford, erected a "polka
pavilion" and the Richfield Lions/Lioness Clubs donated a shelter
area. Portable lights were rented to accomplish better lighting
in the parking lots as well as identifying parking lots with alphabetic
and numerical markings to help fairgoers find their vehicles.
Admission
fees remained at $3.00 for youth, however adult fees were $5.00
before 4:00 p.m. and increased to $7.00 after 4:00 p.m. Entertainment
was in abundance with a variety of musical acts, from country, to
rock, to polka, to blue grass. National entertainment included the
rock group "Cheap Trick" and country acts "Willie
Nelson" and "Pam Tillis".
Attendance
at the 2000 fair was 109,000 people.
Facility
enhancements were made for the 2001 Fair, held July 25-29. Electrical
updates were made as well as an overall facility paging system was
installed. Inkind donations were received, enabling the commercial
tent flooring area to be paved as well as the entertainment stage
area. Additional work on parking areas was done to allow maximum
numbers of cars to be parked on the grounds. A spoilage pile of
dirt at the north end of the grounds was removed which enabled parking
for an additional 500 cars. Various landscaping improvements were
made including grass seeding of areas, tiling of wet areas, and
the planting of additional donated trees.
The
Pavilion building held over 5600 displays of arts, crafts, foods
and agriculture. Barns were filled with livestock exhibits and once
again a llama tent was erected along with an additional goat tent.
Cats and dogs were judged and then returned home with exhibitors.
Admission
fees remained at $3.00 for youth, however adult fees were $5.00
before 4:00 p.m. and increased to $8.00 after 4:00 p.m. National
entertainment included the rock group "REO Speedwagon"
and country acts "Tanya Tucker" and "Sammy Kershaw".
The
record attendance of 120,000 fairgoers was set. |
