Buffalo County Fair

Buffalo Tales, Aug. 1981 - Early Fairs In Buffalo County, by Barbara Pemberton Riege

1875, Sept 18 – 1st agricultural exhibit in Buffalo County held in a downtown furniture store in Kearney.

1880-81 – winter, Ag Soc. Reorganized

     Shelton provided grounds – 3 year contract
        Agricultural hall
        Livestock pens & stalls
        Race track
 

1884 – Fair moved to Kearney – Central location
        Grounds site of present fairgrounds
        Buildings moved from Shelton
        Half mile race track – big draw

1890 – land for new fairgrounds purchased across road from Stone School on Coal Chute Road
        1 mile race track
        Maybe 12 display buildings
        Grandstand and band stand
        Large mortgage

1893 – financial panic – property sold, Ag Society dissolved

1913 – Buffalo County Mid West Fair Association organized
        Fairs held on old fairgrounds.

Kearney Hub – County Fair
1894 – No fair

1895 – (Feb) Buffalo County Fair Association met
        Set the date for the next fair – Sept 24-28
        Held “at the fairgrounds near this city”

1897 – Fair in Sept again
 

1898 – Fair in Sept with no racing.
        Buffalo County Fair Association had to have a fair because if it failed to hold a fair two years in a row

        and it would lose the county money

1899 – Fair set for Oct 3-5
 

1902 – No county fair, Buffalo Countyites encouraged to take exhibits to state fair

1905 – Some small community agricultural displays held around the county
 

No fairs held when Corn Shows were held in Kearney
 

See also: Fall Festivals