Fellow friends and supporters of the North Iowa Fair, we gather today, November 27, 2006, to celebrate the fifty great years that the North Iowa Fairgrounds has been in this location, and the all the great moments that have occurred during this time.

What an exciting time it must have been when the first fair was held here after many years being located where the Sear's store is now located.  The buildings smelled new and clean waiting for the various projects to arrive on Monday, August 6, 1956, and staying for seven days, through August 12.

For that first fair there were limited buildings so a lot of tents were set up.  What is now the Olson Building was built, and what is now the 4-H Beef Barn were the main buildings along with a small tin shed that served as the office for the Extension staff and Superintendents.  (I well remember that tin building when I arrived in Iowa in 1972.)

The Fair Board could not afford this new beef building, so a number of 4-H leaders got together to see if they could raise the $16,000.00 to build it, which was $1,000.00 per township in Cerro Gordo County.  They were successful in raising the money, so the 4-H Leaders and the older 4-H members built it.  When the fair arrived it was filled completely with 350 head of beef cattle, and an additional tent had to be set up to hold the rest of the 4-H beef, according to Walt Nickerson, one of the 4-H leaders.  The Extension staff of Richard K. Franklin, County Extension Director, Mary Freese, Extension Home Economist and John Bryant, Extension Youth Assistant were quite involved in the transitioning of the fairgrounds from the Sear's area to this, the new home.

Iowa Governor Hoegh dedicated the fairgrounds on the first day of the fair, and the fun began and has continued over the next fifty years.  Leigh Curran served as president that year and Richard B. Miller was the secretary-manager for the first fair on this location.

Since that first North Iowa Fair in 1956 a lot has happened, which would take hours to fully describe.  Well known entertainers like:  George Hamilton IV, Marty Robbins, Jeannie C. Riley, Rex Allen, Jr., Sonny James, Billy Crash Craddock, Sawyer Brown, John Michael Montgomery, and Tim McGraw, to name a few have performed on these grounds.  And who can forget "Twiggy the Water Skiing Squirrel"!  Leigh Curran once shared with me how they had ice skaters perform in the heat of summer.  And finally, the specatacular evenings when the National Pyrotechnic Convention dazzled thousands of spectators.

Such well known politicians as President George W. Bush, Vice President Walter Mondale, and Vice President Al Core have made public appearances at the fairgrounds which challenged the fair staff to get the facilities ready.

Many new buildings were added over the fifty years, highlighted by the new arena built in 1982, bringing hockey and figure skating opportunities to North Iowa in the winter, along with many wonderful horse shows during the summers, attracting exhibitors from many surrounding states.  No longer were the fairgrounds used for one week of the year, but now are used daily throughout the year.  State and regional livestock shows have been a part of the fairground's history.

To try to immortalize all the wonderful moments over the past fifty years at the North Iowa Fair, a time capsule will be placed here in the School yard by the one room country school (Owen #3) that was built over 100 years ago.  The time capsule contains lots of memorabilia for people to enjoy when the time capsule is opened in 2056, fifty years from now.

There are fair histories, pictures, letters, ribbons, etc. placed in the time capsule.

I want to remind you all that nothing of monetary value is being placed in the time capsule, so don't get the idea to dig it up early!

What will the future bring?  What will fairs be like fifty years from now?  What will the 4-H and FFA programs be like?  What new facilities will be built in the next fifty years on this ground?  The answers to these questions will be left for the leadership of the next fifty years to determine.  Surprisingly, many exhibit classes from this year's fair are similar to classes fifty years ago, when you compare the fair premium books.

Because of the strong tradition of fairs in Iowa for over 150 years, it is most likely there still will be fairs in 2056, but they probably will look somewhat different.

If we look around as to who is on the North Iowa Fair Board and involved with the leadership of the fair, most of us will not be here in 2056 when the time capsule is opened, but most of the youth who have participated in recent years will be around and they will want the traditions of the fair to continue.

In reviewing the 1956 North Iowa Fair Premium Book, the only living people who had roles as Superintendents, etc. that are still living are Richard Dean who was assistant Junior Livestock Show Superintendent, and Mrs. Richard (Mildred) Ax, who headed up the girls 4-H departments.  As I looked over the members of the fair association in 1956 only three individuals popped up who I know are still living:  Al Carstens, Andy Oswald, Ed Stevens, and Addison Greiman and sons, which include Don Greiman.  Some of the buisinesses in the county are still active.  Al Carstens gets the honor of being a continuous member of the North Iowa Fair Association, all fifty years!

As we start the next fifty years under the leadership of President Brian Carlson and Secretary-Manager, Katy Elson, many new and exciting opportunities will happen on these special grounds, including educational, recreational, and fun activities for all ages.

May the wonderful legacy of our past open the door to great opportunities for our future.

Today, we are planting the seeds of the past to grow into the harvest of the future for the North Iowa Fairgrounds.