Fair Time Herman Apps Ribbons, Steve Apps Photo

 

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               My dad, Herman Apps, was a great lover of fairs.  He showed cattle at the Waushara County Fair in the 1920s, driving them along a dusty road the eight miles from our farm to the fairgrounds in Wautoma.  He followed his small herd of Holsteins with his team of horses and a wagon load of hay for the cows while they were at the fair.  He slept on the hay load at night.  He won many ribbons and was quite proud of his small herd of cattle.  He also showed his team of horses, but I don’t remember him saying they won any ribbons.

               When I talked with him about the fair, he said it was one of the most fun things of his life.  While he was at the fair, my mother was home taking care of the calves, chickens and hogs, and all the other chores that needed doing on the farm in those days. Not only did Dad enjoy showing his cattle in the show ring along with other Waushara County dairy farmers, of which there were many in those days, he became close friends with his competitors.

               I asked him what else he did at the fair—besides taking care of his cattle and showing them and his horses in the show ring. “Well, I didn’t have much money,” he said.  “But I did wander down the Midway on occasion.  One thing I remember was the sideshow at the fair, which attracted long lines of people.”

               “Tell me more,” I said.

               “There was a small tent with a big sign outside that read ‘See the horse with its head where its tail ought to be, 25 cents.’  Who wouldn’t want to see that?”

               Dad paid his quarter and went inside the dimly lit tent where he saw a big Belgian draft horse backed into its stall. The horse’s tail was against the manager—it’s tail where its head ought to be.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Fairs are for learning, meeting new friends, having fun, and much more.

WHERE TO BUY MY BOOKS:

 My newest book, MEET ME ON THE MIDWAY: A HISTORY OF WISCONSIN FAIRS, is available later this month. You can buy my books at your local bookstore. order online from the Wisconsin Historical Society bookstore, https://shop.wisconsinhistory.org/books, bookshop.org, or purchase from the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose—a fundraiser for them. Phone: 920-622-3835 for prices and ordering, or contact the librarian: barnard@wildroselibrary.
Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division Street
Wild Rose, WI 54984.
www.wildroselibrary.org

If you live in the western part of the state, stop at Ruth’s home town, Westby, visit Dregne’s.  and look at their great selection of my books. Order a book from them by calling 1-877-634-4414. They will be happy to help you.  If you live in northcentral Wisconsin, stop at the Janke bookstore in Wausau (phone 715-845-9648).  They have a large selection of my books.