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 directors 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 mens and womens 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
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