Postcard from the Past – 1916 Fair Features Ladies’ Nail-Driving
Much interest was shown in the ladies’ nail-driving contest held during the Seventh Annual Carbon County Fair in Saratoga the first week of September, according to an article in the Sept. 7, 1916, issue of “The Saratoga Sun.”
Tidbits from the hometown weekly newspaper follow.
Headlines note,
“Two Big Days of Celebration – Fine Exhibits – Large Crowd of Pleased People”
“…RHS Band and Orchestra Furnished Music –…”
In part, the article reads,
“The Carbon County Fair is over as far as the celebration is concerned, and it was the best pleased crowd that ever came off the grounds at the close Tuesday night. Some 3,500 people were here and took in every thing and enjoyed every minute. Saratoga was a good representation of the best people of the county and there was no disturbing elements to mar a perfect event.”
“The exhibition of livestock was above par and some of as fine animals as ever were shown were in attendance at the grounds here this week. Canary and Sons exhibited their thoroughbred Hereford show stock, which were classy stuff. We were sorry to not see more of the purebred and grade cattle of the valley. C.A. Kennaday had some extra good Durham bulls, which took blue ribbons in their classes.
“Horses of several breeds were exhibited. This included draft mares, stallions, colts and mules, owned by different ranchmen over the valley…
“Some very good sheep were exhibited…and the hogs shown by several ranchmen were good.
“There was a good display of poultry, some of it from Snake River, and nearly all were in the prize winning class.
“The art building was beautifully decorated, with bunting and evergreens, as well as the grounds and grandstand. The decorations are directly due to Secretary Casteel, who also secured the street decorations for the town. This building was comfortably full of everything from vegetables to flowers. The fancy work department was well billed and was a display seldom seen. This was needlecraft, knitting and crochet.
“The vegetable and grain exhibit were about as good as could be found in the state and included every kind of garden truck and all kinds of field grass and grains, potatoes in abundance, sweet corn and even tomatoes, while some crab apples also attracted some considerable comment.
“In the kitchen department, the bread and cake was the hardest work placed before any judges at the fair this year, and the competition. There was little room for placing the ribbons on the quality.
“The winners of the bread-baking prizes were in the following manner: Mrs. L.P. Howard, winner with bread made with up-to-date flour; Mrs. M. Munz with Puritan flour; Mrs. Ralph Wood with Cheyenne Chief; and Mrs. Ferry with 5X Lexington Cream, which also took the grand champion prize over the other bread.
“The afternoon of Monday was taken up by the speed program at the race track, which started off at 1:30 p.m. with a quarter-mile cow pony race.”
“The ladies nail-driving contest had several enthusiastic entries and competition was lively…” but, then, that’s another entry for the next Postcard.
