Old Missoula

First Fair Resembled Track Meet

What is today the Missoula County Fair apparently had its start on Sept. 24, 1895,* as the Western Montana Fair. The fair at that time was under the sponsorship of the Board of Trade, with W. H. Francis as chairman of the board.

This event of 65 year ago, conducted on fairgrounds then located west of the city about where the American Crystal Sugar Co. plant is today, had some of the features [and] had more of the aspect of a track meet than a fair (sic). [This article had some problems]

There was a one-mile walking match, half-mile ladies bicycle race, old man’s race of 100 yards, fat man’s race, hammer throwing and shotputting.

Listed in the exhibition categories were fruit culture improvement, stock fowls, grain, vegetables and fruits, manufacturing, and babies. Two new buildings were erected for displays.

The Mounted Knights of Missoula were one of the highlights of the grandstand program. These men conducted ring spearing, riding at full speed with 10-foot lances to spear a three-quarter inch ring.

C. E. Williams was the general superintendent. The grounds committee consisted of Dr. J. J. Buckley, W. Jamieson, J. McDonald, W. W. Taggart, J. Riddell and George Smith. In addition to Francis, board chairman, credit for success of this early venture was given to R. M. Cobban, secretary, F. C. Stoddard, F. G. Higgins, John Rankin, C. H. McLeod, G. F. Brooks, D. E. Bandmann, Alfred Cave and George Boos. The Daily Missoulian was the first to advocate the fair project and took an active part in its planning and operation.

The fair committee in 1897 went to firms and townspeople to raise $800 for support of the fair. Horse racing appeared to be the biggest attraction of the early years of the fair. One account told of pumpkins as big as tubs included in the agricultural exhibition. Fair patrons were transported to the fairgrounds by hacks and buses.

*There may have been a lapse between earlier fairs and this 1895 fair. It has been documented that the first “fair” held in Missoula was in the 1870’s. A 1940 Missoulian article (75^th anniversary of Missoula) addressed the fair topic and there is a link to that article below:

http://oldmissoula.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=25:missoula-fair-dates-back-to-early-history&catid=16:missoulas-diamond-jubilee-1940&Itemid=3