Good Roads Fairs

From Kearney Hub

First Fair - 1915

Nov 9, 1915 – Commerce Club sponsoring a good roads fair. Intend to be held last in Dec. to give merchants the opportunity to donate wares to be given away. Hold the fair for a week, objective to raise funds for repair and improvement of the main roads.

Nov 11, 1915 – To be called the First Annual Farmers and Merchants Good Roads Fair. [Did not get federal highway funds in those days.] To be held Dec 6-11. Money to build permanent roads

Nov 12, 1915 – Roads north to Pleasanton and south of Kearney. Donated items to be sold include livestock and coal as well as cash donations.

Nov 16, 1915 – donations of a goat, pig, 25 turkeys, a buggy ands a gasoline engine are the donations so far.

Nov.17, 1915 – Patterson & Commercial club officers went to Minden to interest Kearney county officials in the Fir since the funds will be used for roads south of Kearney

Nov 20, 1915 – Goal is to raise $5,000.
        Road to go from 12 miles south of the river to Pleasanton. Fair to be held at city hall.

        Donations include working on the road.

Nov 27, 1915 – Plans to exhibit farm power machinery at the good roads fair

Nov 29, 1915 – To be held in the Hub hall

Dec 8, 1915 – Fair started evening of Dec.7. S& H Green Stamps were given away, 75 per person on Dec 8, 9, 10

Dec 11, 1915 – fair well attended. Dances each evening. Admission charged. those tickets used in drawing for prizes. Other items sold [auctioned, James Boyd appears to have been the auctioneer]

Dec 13, 1915 – Good roads Fair a success, best attendance on last night. Campaign for donations to continue. Farmers are donating time and teams to be used.

Dec 14, 1915 – Pleasanton to hold a good roads fair within the next month

Feb. 19, 1916 – Three schools along the Pleasanton-Kearney road are planning box suppers to raise funds for the road improvement project.

May 18, 1916 – Work to start on the Kearney-Pleasanton road next week. Donations good from farmers living along the route

Second Fair - 1916

Oct 11, 1916 – Next good roads fair set for week of Nov. 14th

Oct 27, 1916 – car to be given for a dollar [raffle]

Oct 28, 1916 - $1000 raised last year.

        1917 Ford to be sold [for a $1] Dance every night, nominal admission fee which goes in the road fund.
       

Asphalt laid on 24th St between Central and A

Nov 15, 1916 – Fair in progress, 1500 ft of “the south road” was crowned with a mixture of clay and gravel

Nov 16, 1916 – Record crowd second night. Price of admission 10 cents for gentlemen, ladies free.

Nov 17,1916 – donated items were sold at a country store.

        One of the most popular items was cakes baked by 19th Century Club ladies.

Nov 18, 1916 – Largest crowd expected, all will be charged admission, partially to thin the crowd
       

Estimated $1700 raised.

Nov 20, 1916 – finance committee reported over $1400 raised.

Third Fair - 1917

July 7,1917 – Plans for next fair – possibly 2nd week in Oct. have street amusements as well as indoor activities.

Aug 7, 1917 - Planned for late Sept. Fashion show to be added

Sept 18, 1917 – Oct 9 for 5 days. New Tollefson garage [on Central & Lincoln Highway] divided into 24 stalls for merchant displays. Style show to be held there. In another room every car dealer will have his best autos on display. Vaudeville every evening followed by a dance. 1918 Maxwell touring car the big prize. Music by 22 piece city band; dance music by same director’s 12 piece orchestra. Parades – first Grand Merchants Street Parade of decorated floats, second decorated auto parade. Streets to be decorated with flags and lights.

Sept 22, 1917 – 26 merchant booths sold @$50 each including 4 auto dealers

Oct 1, 1917 – adding Ford parade. Every owner of a Ford eligible to enter. Various prizes including best decorated, Ford carrying most passengers & most dilapidated. Afternoon and evening events this year. Style show to include both men’s and women’s clothes.

Oct 6, 1917 – school children will be dismissed at noon Fri. to participate in the giant parade. With decorated floats and cars.

Oct 9, 1917 – One admission price of 10 cents good for all events of the day except the dance.

Oct. 10, 1917 – Prof. Condra of state university to give illustrated lecture at Crescent theater on how to build and maintain good roads.

Oct, 20, 1917 – Children in kindergarten department at college won 1st prize in the Ford parade for most passengers, 36, in a Ford.

Oct. 30, 1917 – Fair made over $4200 after expenses