The Adair County fair has been a tradition since the late 1800s.
Columbia native Rodney White has written a book that covers the beginning of the fair to current date.
The book, “A History of the Adair County Fair,” documents historical events and includes photographs and documents that date back to the end of World War II.
The Adair County Fair Association was established in 1884 and the first ever Adair County fair was held that year on property that later became known as the Adair County fairgrounds.
The fair was an annual event except for a few years due to smallpox outbreak, wars, droughts, the Great Depression and the Spanish flu.
In his book, White gives many details about the fairgrounds, the fair and how it evolved over the decades. The coordinators of the fair changed a few times over the years. Originally, it was run by The Adair County Fair Association. After the war, the VFW took over in 1946. The Adair County Jaycees then began managing the fair in the late 1980s.
The Adair County Jaycees and the Adair County Fair Association were the same group of people operating under both names. After the original fairgrounds were sold to Lindsey Wilson College, the Jaycees were dissolved and the organization became known solely as The Adair County Fair Association.
“As a kid, the fair was almost better than Christmas. There was nothing else going on around here,” said White. His father was a member of the VFW and owned horses, so he and his brother, Bruce, went with him to fairs around the area.
“The VFW put on the fair but there were a lot of people who were not VFW members that really supported the fair,” said White. “That’s the thing about a county fair, especially when the tradition is strong; it is a community event.”
In his research, White used genealogy files at the library and many books that were written about various fairs. He found old ads and photographs to incorporate into the book. White also spoke to people who showed horses and cattle in earlier years but found that not many photos existed.
“When we were showing horses, we didn’t take pictures and we didn’t carry a camera to the fair,” Said White.
There are many interesting details about the fair and the fairgrounds in the book. Some of the “facts” that were commonly known are disproved in White’s research.
The fair will return this year with more attractions, such as go cart racing, demolition derbies, and many 4-H events.
All proceeds from the book will go to the Adair County Fair Association. The book can be purchased for $25 at the Adair County Genealogy Center.
The Adair County Fair Association is always accepting new members and have recently begun a junior membership for anyone under 18. The meetings are the first and third Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at the Adair County Fairgrounds on Industrial Drive.
By Amy Pike
amy@adairvoice.com
