Let's go to the Iowa State Fair --- in 1905

It's Iowa State Fair week in Des Moines, an event that has drawn hundreds of thousands annually to the east-side grounds first used during 1886.

I found a couple of relevant post cards yesterday in the Lucas County Historical Society collection, including the rather plain black-and-white dated 1905, below. So I looked to The Chariton Patriot of Aug. 17, 1905, to provide an overview.

The Livestock Pavilion was just three years old that late summer week, but the "steel amphitheatre" would not be built until 1909. Not sure about the date of the hog pavilion.

Most Lucas Countyans who attended in 1905 would have taken advantage of half-price fares offered by the state's railroad companies during fair week and traveled to and from by train. And Tuesday of fair week was the big one --- attracting more than 50,000 to the grounds.

Here's the Patriot preview:

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The Iowa Fair this year offers an abundance to interest any Iowan, whatever his tastes may be. The general exposition hall will be filled with the most attractive things dear to the feminine heart and between this structure and the women's hall, where there will be rest rooms, a broad and cool veranda and a hospital with physician and nurses in attendance upon sick women and chidren. Any woman will find abundant to occupy here time during her visit to the fair.

Postmarked Aug. 19, 1913

The display of grains will be sufficient to take all of the time that any persons interested in grain growing and not in livestock so much may care to spend to the exclusion of other things.

The contest for the scholarship at Ames among young men who will compete in judging grains and stock will be worth watching closely. The contest for the $50 offered for the finest ear of Iowa grown corn promises to be most vigorous among the farmers of the state.

Down in the Dairy building, the state dairy commissioner will carry on the seventh monthly scoring contest of butter. Six of these have been held at Mason City and have worked the butter makers of the state up to a high grade of effort and the finest butter ever made in the world is now being turned out in the state. Car loads of it will be in the tests to be made during fair week.

The machinery department will be the biggest in the history of the fair. There will not be a piece of improved agricultural machinery known to the market which will be missing from this collection exhibited at the Iowa fair the last week in August.

Every effort of other states to filch from Iowa her well known position as a fruit producing state has fallen flat. The reason will be shown when the display in the horticultural building at the fair is uncovered. It will be the finest that Iowa ever saw.

Every feature of the fair entertains and instructs. The Iowa Fair is one of the greatest educational forces in the state. That is the reason that an effort is being made now to induce the fair management to hold it for two weeks instead of one, only, as this year. It is being considered. Indeed were it not for the fact that other states hold the fairs at about the same time and the exhibits from one goes to another in succession, it would be feasible to keep the Iowa fair going continuously. It is good enough to do so, and from the reports that come from Portland, Ore., it would be sure of as large an attendance as the Lewis and Clark exposition, which is no better, is getting.

Tuesday, August 29, has been designated Governors, Solders and Childrens Day at the Fair and a special program has been arranged. The old soldiers expect to have more people here interested in their affairs, especially, than ever were gotten together at the fair. They have arranged for an address by Corporal Tanner of New York who will be the next commander in chief of the National Grand Army organization. Governor Cummins and his full staff and Colonel Thomas and his whole regiment of cavalrymen from Fort Des Moines, the new army post in this city, will participate in the parade and the governor will speak.

The soldiers' day is one of the special features of which the fair is the center and there are scores of others. Most of the principal organizations of the state have headquarters on the grounds and will hold reunions, conventions, etc.

The Fair grounds have been improved materially since last year and with the cement gutters, the paved streets and the newly painted buildings they present a very handsome appearance. Abundant conveniences and accommodations for campers have been arranged and special rates have been offered for tents, etc. The women's rest hall will be more popular than ever because it has been enlarged on account of additonal accommodations. The arrangements for the comfort and entertainment of visitors have been perfected. The street car and railroad service has been so perfected, through the addition of tracks, that the crowds however large can be handled easily and quickly.

With the liberal inducement offered by all railroads of the state of a one-half fare to Des Moines and return during State Fair week, it is expected that many people will take advantage of the opportunity to visit the capital city of the state, and the annual exhibition of which all Iowa people are justly proud.

Postmarked Aug. 27, 1919