by Benjamin Chase
of the Plainsman
As part of our 140th anniversary this year, I wanted to go back and look for articles and photos from the first 50-75 years of the paper and run at least one per month this year as we celebrate 140 years of operation. Enjoy!
Fair debates predate statehood
The February article comes from the Saturday, February 6, 1886, edition of the Daily Huronite. Early on, the articles in the paper did not include bylines, but this article features a tale that would be pervasive in the history of Huron for decades to come – a battle over a fair.
The Huronite printed an editorial that had been printed in the Grand Forks Daily Plaindealer, along with a response. In 1886, Huron was awarded the Territorial Fair, but Grand Forks announced that it was the rightful high bidder for the fair and would be putting on its own exposition.
For what it’s worth, the 1886 fair in Grand Forks drew roughly 11,000 people in attendance, which was between 3.5 and 4 percent of the territory’s population at the time, and it did nearly double the attendance of the Territorial Fair in Huron that year. For reference, the 2025 South Dakota State Fair drew 180,916, and the peak attendance recorded to the State Fair in Huron has been 211,371 in 2016. The state’s population was 886,667 at the 2020 census and is estimated at just shy of 925,000 as of 2024. Drawing at the same rate now would mean the South Dakota State Fair would only bring in between 32,000 and 34,000 attendees.
The article from Feb. 1886, with the Plaindealer’s editorial in italics and the Huronite’s response in bold:
“The good people of Huron seem to think Grand Forks has an especial fight against them because of their success in securing the territorial fair. It is a mistake. Grand Forks has no enmity against Huron, but we do think that the board of agriculture should not have first advertised for bids in every paper both north and south and show bad faith by rejecting the highest. Grand Forks is better satisfied, for she will use her $4,000 and enough more with it to make the fair a success. The action of the South Dakota members will serve to unite the north more firmly in the determination to have a fair in this section that will eclipse anything in the northwest. As Grand Forks has made the initiatory move we believe other cities will unite with us, and there will be no dissensions which seem to characterize the cities of the south at the present time.
Grand Forks goes about the fair in no spirit of envy, but because she believes the enterprise manifested by this city in attempting to get the fair should be shown in making such an exposition here that will be the pride of all Dakota. Huron secured the territorial fair, but Grand Forks will give an exposition that will be something surprising to our South Dakota Friends.” – Grand Forks Daily Plaindealer.
And if we are to talk seriously, Huron has most assuredly no enmity against Grand Forks. Indeed, Huron has som special reasons for feeling kindly toward that fine city of the far north. We think it was other than Huron people who suggested an “especial fight” on the part of Grand Forks against Huron.
We have poked a little harmless fun at those who were quick to suggest that the Grand Forks fair must necessarily antagonize the Territorial Fair. It is notorious that the contribution of North Dakota to the last fair was mortifyingly light. Our people fully appreciate the difficulties of the situation. It is practically impossible for South Dakota to be fitly represented in an exhibition held north of the 46th parallel, and, of course, it is equally difficult for the North to be fully and fitly represented at any point south of that.
We hope and believe there will be full as large a representation of the North in the Territorial Fair as there could have been had Grand Forks not concluded to have one of its own. We are inclined to believe there will be full as large a representation from the South at Grand Forks, as there could have been had the choice of the Board fallen on that city.
There are people enough, and products enough, and the stock enough in Dakota to make a score of grander exhibits than have ever been witnessed in the Territory, even if all should be held on the same day.
The only block in the way is the lack of interest, on the part of the people. This interest will get its spur in the multiplication of Fairs. Especially will this be true if the impression should get abroad that these exhibitions are in some sense competitors.
Let several points strive to have the best and all will be made better. The anxiety to witness all will, also be increased. People will want to see for themselves which is the best. Exhibitors disappointed in one will be quite likely to try in another. It is not necessary that these fairs should antagonize each other. On the other hand they ought to be helpful to each other.
It is senseless to talk about the jealousy of Huron. We are going to have a grand Fair, of course. We are going to make the best of every advantage we have in being designated as the point for holding the Territorial Fair, and of any other honest advantage that may fall to us. We have no doubt that the board intended to act legally and fairly.
Certainly the Plaindealer does not considerately declare that they were bound to accept simply the highest bid offered. Deadwood, or the new town of Buffalo Gap, might have tendered twice the sum offered by Grand Forks without having any right to complain if unsuccessful. Various considerations outside the bare bids were taken into account.
Grand Forks has an unquestionable right to apply her $4,000 to a Fair of her own, and to make it as grand as she can. Huron sends her God speed, and will have representatives there to see how well she fulfills the promise of the above paragraph.
The preceding article is reprinted, as originally run, from the Saturday, Feb. 6, 1886, edition of the Daily Huronite, the original name of what is now the Huron Daily Plainsman.
Leave a Reply