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This album contains photographs of the Kansas Free Fair in Topeka, Kansas. The Kansas State Fair Association was organized in 1880 with a representative from each county for the purpose of holding a statewide fair in Topeka. The first Kansas State Fair was held September 12-17, 1881. The Topeka fair became the Kansas Free Fair in 1915, then in 1958 the Mid America Fair, and in 1977 again was renamed to the Sunflower State Fair. The Shawnee County Fair continues to be held annually on the grounds, and the Kansas Expocentre, which opened in 1987 as a conference and event center, retains the remodeled Agricultural Hall, Heritage Hall, Livestock Pavilion and Exposition Hall (now known as Maner Conference Center) from the earlier fairgrounds. Many of these buildings are pictured in this album along with panoramic and interior views of the grounds, grandstands, arenas, tents, food stalls, parking lots and Ferris wheel; the Old Soldiers Reunion; G.A.R Reunion; troops from Ft. Leavenworth and Ft. Riley; parades and bands; horse and auto racing; woman pilot Katherine Stinson; the farmerettes; exhibitions of art work, quilts, livestock, cakes, stills confiscated during prohibition, commercial goods and government services; Cho-Cho the Health Clown, a Baby Clinic and Eugenics Clinic; 4-H and Boys and Girls club events; cow-milking and spelling contests; fireworks, and the fairgrounds covered in snow.
Creator: Farrow, W. F.
Date: 1888-1924
Item Number: 314361
KSHS Identifier: DaRT ID: 314361
Agriculture - Livestock
Built Environment - Function - Recreation and Culture - Fair
Collections - Photograph
Community Life - Arts and Entertainment
Community Life - Clubs and organizations - Social and Civic - 4-H
Community Life - Clubs and organizations - Social and Civic - Grand Army of the Republic
Community Life - Clubs and organizations - Social and Civic - Kansas Good Roads Association
Community Life - Clubs and organizations - Trade - Fair associations - Kansas State Fair Association
Community Life - Community services - Public health
Community Life - Events and Celebrations - Fairs
Community Life - Events and Celebrations - Fireworks
Community Life - Events and Celebrations - Parades
Community Life - Recreation and Sports - Sports - Auto racing (including drag races)
Community Life - Recreation and Sports - Sports - Racing (dog and horse)
Date - 1890s
Date - 1910s
Date - 1920s
Objects and Artifacts - Communication Artifacts - Documentary Artifact - Album - Photograph
Places - Cities and towns - Topeka
Places - Counties - Shawnee
Thematic Time Period - Industrialization and the National Economy, 1870 - 1920
Thematic Time Period - The Twenties, 1920 - 1929
Type of Material - Photographs
http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/314361