Fair History

July means county fairs and the 4th of July And both are a huge part of our heritage In this months edition of Inside Historya look back at some highlights of years gone by 4th of July Parades have changed through the yearsbut not that much Do you recognize where this celebration took place It s from the Publicity andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t filmandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Filmandamp lt aandamp gt Company in the early 1900 s They traveled the state capturing the essence of andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t north-dakotaandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt North Dakotaandamp lt aandamp gt film footage of 4th of July Parade roughly 1918 on Main Street of andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t bismarck-ndandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Bismarckandamp lt aandamp gt North Dakota Some of your viewers may be able to spot one of the local establishments downtown right opposite the depot the old Patterson Hotel From landmarks to the oceaneveryone wanted to see the USS North Dakota In 1910 one of the big draws was a model of a ship the USS North Dakota named after the state of North Dakota Senator Louis B Hanna brought it in andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t fargo-ndandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Fargoandamp lt aandamp gt and it was one of the features Another big drawracing In the early 1900 s that meant many things whether it was horse racing at the Morton Co Fair in andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t mandan-ndandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Mandanandamp lt aandamp gt people would come up from andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t standing-rock-ndandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Standing Rockandamp lt aandamp gt and have pony races in addition there were the sulky races horse races 1910 also saw the first year of automobile racing and motorcylce racing But as the years go bysome things stay the same We go to the county fair to the andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t nd-state-fairandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt State Fairandamp lt aandamp gt we ride the ferris wheel we ride the carousel and we stop at the booths along whether its the local andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t lutheranandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Lutheranandamp lt aandamp gt Church serving apple pie or a footlong hot dog we stop and we sample the wares and we leave with memories of the exhibits or the machinery or livestock and the thrils of the racing Here s an interesting fact The state fair wasnt always in andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t minot-ndandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Minotandamp lt aandamp gt In the early years it alternated between andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t grand-forks-ndandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Grand Forksandamp lt aandamp gt in odd years and Fargo in even years