HURON To open the second day of the South Dakota Governors Ag Summit in Huron, State Fair Commission chairman Faron Wahl presented a history of the South Dakota State Fair and its connection to agriculture.
Wahl explained that the fair began in 1885, before South Dakota was even a state. The fair was originally considered a territorial fair, and Huron was the first location for the fair. The fair rotated among multiple other locations, Aberdeen, Mitchell, and Sioux Falls, before spending nine years in Yankton. After multiple years of shifting locations and the lack of security in the location for the states showcase event, the fair was permanently located in Huron beginning in 1905.
The fairgrounds were initially built on land granted by the railroad and the fair has run every year other than 1945 on those grounds ever since. Wahl noted the tie of agriculture to the beginning to the South Dakota State Fair and the continued importance of agriculture as part of the modern fair, something that he said is beginning to dwindle, even in states that should have a focus on agriculture.
Wahl is putting together a book on the history of the fair.
The summit concluded Thursday with a visit to Spink Colony and Kasemeister Creamery before the evenings DEXtravaganza concert featuring Thomas Rhett.
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