History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Page 2

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

The year that wasn’t | The story behind ‘75 Fairs’

Not since World War II One part covers the raged has something like first 50 years of the Fair. this happened.

It is based primarily There won’t be a Sedgon information culled wick County Fair in 2020. from the archives of the The decision to cancel Cheney Sentinel. Much this year’s Fair was an thanks goes to Souders extremely difficult one Farm Museum and to the for the Sedgwick County Kansas Historical Society Fair Association. With the in Topeka for access to arfinancial risks involved in chives that we don’t have a last-minute cancellation at the paper. Most early Travis Mounts Managing Editor and so many unknowns history of the Sentinel Times-Sentinel Newspapers, LLC as well as the Clearwater on the horizon, planners had little choice.

Times and the West SedgThat still left many stakeholders asking, wick County News-Sentinel of Goddard “What now?” For 4-Hers, it means a – primarily in the form of bound files – modified competition in July. For others, was not passed to current ownership. it means turning their focus to 2021.

During those 50 years, there was a patFor this locally-owned newspaper tern to coverage of the Sedgwick County group, it meant finding a project to Fair. There were various preview stories replace the Sedgwick County Fair Guide, about the Fair’s various events, including which is our biggest project every year. its entertainers, new additions and schedIn its place, we present “75 Fairs: A ule. After the Fair, there were summary History of the Sedgwick County Fair.” stories (often including how the weather This project is a patchwork of sorts. was), along with 4-H and Open Class

results and a varying number of pictures, depending on the year. Feature stories about the various people involved were virtually non-existent. That reflected the general style of the papers under various owners.

Over the last 25 years, Times-Sentinel Newspapers has taken a different approach with a robust, standalone Fair guide and a special Fair results section after. Both contained many feature stories over the years, and more feature stories appeared in the pages of the regular editions of The Times-Sentinel.

To that end, this special section covers the last 25 years of the Sedgwick County Fair with a number of feature stories about the people who make the Fair what it is.

Thank you to all the advertisers who chose to support this replacement project. Their financial commitment plays a key role in helping us continue to serve our readers and in bring the history of 75 Fairs back to life.

Happy reading.

Editorial

Publisher Paul Rhodes Managing Editor Travis Mounts Graphics Hilary Eash Proofreading Nancy D. Borst

Sales & Billing

Sales Valorie Castor, Riley Franklin Billing/Circulation

Michelle Leidy-Franklin 125 N. Main • P.O. Box 544 Cheney, KS 67025 Phone: (316) 540-0500 Fax: (316) 540-3283 www.tsnews.com

“75 Fairs: The History of the Sedgwick County Fair” is published by Times-Sentinel Newspapers, LLC. ©2020

Sentinel coverage of the inaugural Sedgwick County Fair

The roots of the Sedgwick County Fair go back to the early 20th Century, Sometime in the 1930s, a group of area cattlemen wanted to restart the Sedgwick County Fair and locate it in a small town surrounding Wichita. The group approached several towns with no success.

But the second year they inquired, a number of Cheney businessmen expressed a desire to bring a fair to town. At the time, Cheney was the second-largest city in Sedgwick County, so it was felt the community could provide the support and manpower needed for the event.

Through the work of many people – including Cheney businessman Floyd Souders, whose singular vision for the county Fair was the driving force – the Sedgwick County Fair was created and held for the first time in October 1940.

The Cheney Sentinel reported on the Fair before, during and after the event.

An announcement in the Sept. 5, 1940, edition informed local residents of the

dates.

“We will hold the first annual Sedgwick County Fair on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, October 2, 3. 4, in Cheney at the Fair Grounds on South Main Street.”

Competition was limited to residents of Sedgwick, Reno, Kingman, Sumner, Butler and Harvey counties, except for the 4-H Department, which was for Sedgwick County youth only. “Special effort is being made for entertainment features both day and night during the Fair. Watch for programs.”

The Fair started with a budget of $1,250. That included $500 from the city of Cheney and $600 from Sedgwick County.

The Sept. 12 paper also noted that there would be a Tiny Tot Revue for children under school age.

“This will not be a contest of the prettiest or most attractive children, but a costume revue, in which those taking part will be dressed in a costume represent-

ing any historical or fictional, or living character. ...Liberal prizes will be given the winners,” the Sentinel reported. Those wanting more information were encouraged to call Joe W. Lukens at Phone 28 J. Over the next couple of weeks, the paper reported that the Fair would have many attractions, such as a 45-minute program from the Wichita Chamber of Commerce, music from the Sedgwick County 4-H Band, the Wichita Chamber of Commerce Quartet and the Beacon Entertainers, Kansas’ largest carnival all week with marvelous shows, thrilling rides and an octopus ride, and a horse show. The 1941 Fords were on display on Saturday. School bands from Derby, Bentley, Maize, Mt. Hope, Andale, Goddard, Garden Plain, Clearwater, Mulvane and Sedgwick were scheduled to perform.

The Fair kicked off with a parade at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2. Float prizes were $5 for first and $3 for second, with these categories: business float, rural schools,

high schools and grade schools.

The Oct. 3 Sentinel came out a day early, on Wednesday, Oct. 2, to coincide with the first day of the Fair. It reported that 1,000 people went through the gates the first hour the Fair was opened, and that the parade – more than a mile long – attracted upward of 3,000 people as it went from City Park to the school building. “The crowd is said to be the largest ever gathered in Cheney for an occasion of this kind,” the paper reported.

The first day also was highlighted by a football game between Cheney and Garden Plain, won by Garden Plain.

If there was a negative at the first Fair, it was the absence of Kansas Gov. Payne Ratner, who was in Kingman on the Fair’s first day. Ratner had been invited to speak at the Fair.

Ratner instead visited Sedgwick County

See FIRST, Page 4

ONLY FIREWORKS TENT TAKING ONLINE ORDERS FOR CUSTOMERS TO COME & PICK UP Best Seller

Wild-N-Wacky

DIABLO 12 CT

500 Gram

$18.99

Cosmic Collision

$16.99

100 plus lbs. of pure enjoyment

$399 Sold at other stands for

Artillery Shells SPECIAL

$29.99 500 Gram

THE GODFATHER

Saturn 199 ct.

Missile Battery

$2.99

$500 - $599

The Godfather has everything you want for a large family or block party celebration. It has 500 grams, multi-shots artillery shells, fountains, and much more.

They will go fast at this price!

More than 300 different items for sale. Large inventory of 500 gram cakes.

We reserve the right to use up to 5% of profits for administrative purposes.

ORDER ONLINE FOR PICK UP ORDERS @ WWW.GODDARDLIONS.COM

GODDARD

INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION

Saturday, July 4 @ 9:45pm Launching from the south end of the Genesis Ball Complex

See this all-aerial show from nearly anywhere in Goddard!

Watch from home or from the parking lot of our fine Goddard merchants.

Take in a ball game – baseball all day at the Genesis Sports Complex

No R

ain D

ate!

Page 4

First

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

Continued from Page 2

the following week on Saturday, Oct. 12, with stops in Viola, Clearwater, Goddard, Garden Plain, Derby and elsewhere.

Following are the inaugural parade winners.

Business floats: Harris Drugs, first; Home Town Grocery, second.

Organizations: Cheney American Legion, first.

Bands: Mt. Hope, first; Garden Plain, second.

Rural schools: Pleasant Valley, “Gone with the Wind,” first; Ritchey, “Grapes of Wrath,” second.

Cheney Grade School: “Jack Frost Co.,” third and fourth grades, first; “The Horn of Plenty,” fifth and sixth grades, second.

Cheney High School: Juniors, first; seniors, second.

The Fair opened with one permanent building and two rows of large tents running east from the exhibit building. Early menus were mainly hamburgers and hot dogs, along with homemade pies.

The Oct. 10, 1940, edition of the Cheney Sentinel reported that one of the biggest attractions was the new, large display building put up by the Cheney Chamber of Commerce. It held many different items of interest.

A display of white rats showing the effects of proper and improper diets, put on by the health department, was popular. The flower show, in its first year, was a big success. It included a coast-to-coast representation of pine cones, as wells as a large number of ferns. The quilt show drew about 25 entries, including a coverlet made in England in 1841.

Fifty-seven people entered 300 cans of vegetables, fruits and meats, and between 35 and 40 cakes were entered, along with homemade bread, doughnuts, cookies and rolls. The Grand River and Erie farm bureaus had displays, as did the Mt. Pleasant and Grand River 4-H clubs. The Tiny Tot Revue was a big success, with 40 entries.

The Cheney Sentinel announces the dates for the 1940 Sedgwick County Fair, the first of 75 Fairs conducted between 1940 and 2019.

1940s The first decade

Interrupted by war

The Sedgwick County Fair kicked off its first decade in 1940, as the Cheney Fair – a fall event held in the first part of each October – gained permission to morph into a countywide event.

The first Sedgwick County Fair was considered a big success. On June 27, 1941, the Kansas State Board of Agriculture recognized the Sedgwick County Fair Association as the official county fair for Sedgwick County. It was the last legal step needed to make House Bill 331 official. The dates were set for Oct. 2-4.

Just like the year before, parade prizes were set at $5 for first place in each category and $3 for second place. Midget Auto Races were added to the schedule.

The Tiny Tot Revue and the Beacon Entertainers were on the schedule for a second straight year, as was the horse show.

The 1941 Fair opened on Oct. 2 despite rain showers, again starting with an 11 a.m. parade featuring more than 30 floats.

The parade was considered a success.

But things were not so sunny in many other parts of the world, as World War II raged in Asia, Europe and North Africa.

Nearly two months to the day after the second annual Sedgwick County Fair, Japan bombed the U.S. base at Pearl Harbor, and a day later, on Dec. 8, the United States declared war on Japan.

The war effort required many sacrifices at home, including gas and food rationing, and many events including the Sedgwick County Fair were put on hold indefinitely. Because of the war and the recovery after, the Fair was not held for five consecutive years.

When the Fair returned in 1947, it took place nearly a month early, on Sept.

10-12. Once again, the parade kicked off the Fair on Wednesday morning and the Beacon Entertainers were back. The lineup included a benefit baseball game between Cheney and Norwich (Cheney won), the Tiny Tot Review (different spelling in 1947), and a horse show. Each day included free airplane rides, and a

free platform dance each night sponsored by the VFW. The VFW also gave away a new Chevrolet; Tony Heimerman of rural Cheney was the winner. According to the Sept. 11, 1947, Cheney Sentinel, the parade was a mile long.

The 1948 Fair featured a band concert by the Sons of the American Legion Drum and Bugle Corps, and a long relationship with radio station KFH apparently began with a performance by the KFH Ark Valley Boys on all three nights.

The Brodbeck Carnival also was at the Fair.

The decade closed out with the fifth annual Sedgwick County Fair – the fifth Fair in a 10-year period – on Sept. 1-3, 1949. One new addition to the lineup was Indian entertainment, led by Charles Shunatona, a blind Pawnee-Otoe chief. In text representing the times, the Sentinel wrote: “(G)aily decorated teepees will provide a setting for the program of dances, which will be given by the troupe. Sunatona’s wife and two daughters, Jen and Gwen, will participate in the ceremony.”

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Page 5 LEFT: Martin’s Pride, the 790-pound O.I.C. Boar which was a prize winner at the Sedgwick County Fair, had a nice disposition and was affectionately called “Porky” by his friends. Owned

by Mr. and Mrs. Sylvester Martin of Mt. Hope, Porky led the livestock parade at the evening entertainment on Friday night of the 1949 Fair. Shown in the pen with him are 3-year-old Janet Hilger of Garden Plain and Mrs. Martin.

FAR LEFT TOP: Drums gave a flurry and the majorettes kicked the dust high as the 1948 Sedgwick County Fair opened with a 45-float parade in Cheney. A caravan of floats wound its way up Main Street and then back again, and spectators in the center of the business district were treated to two shows – one coming and one going.

FAR LEFT BELOW: Ralph Warne, left, of Wichita, is shown as he judges the flower exhibits at the 1949 Sedgwick County Fair. Pictured with him are, form left, Mrs. John Wulf, superintendent; Mrs. E.L. Feagan, superintendent of the flower show; and Mrs. Ed Miles of Goddard, assistant superintendent.

Serving Cheney & Surrounding Areas For 50 Years Family owned & operated from 1970 - 2020

Providing HVAC, electrical and plumbing services for our residential, commercial and industrial customers

314 N. Main • Cheney • 316-542-3616

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Page 6

Rehabilitation that gets you home sooner.

Let us help you recover from an injury or illness and successfully return home.

Rehabilitation programs include stroke recovery, cardiac and heart rehabilitation, hip and knee surgery replacement programs, as well as other post acute care that enables you or a loved one to return home. We also proudly serve our Veteran population, provide long term, hospice and respite stays.

Visit us for more information on our comprehensive rehabilitation services.

Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Restorative Therapy

501 Easy Street, Goddard, KS 67052 316-794-8635 www.medicalodges.com

Enjoying 75 years of the Sedgwick County Fair!

724 N. Main, Cheney, KS 67025 • (316) 540-3691 www.cheneygoldenage.org

Hospice Contract Approved • Medicare Certified • Medicaid Certified • Insurance • Private Pay

MAIN STREET VILLA

at Cheney Golden Age Home

802 North Main Street · Cheney, KS

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

1950s The next 10 years

Big stars entertain

lineup of entertainers at the eighth annual Fair, held in 1952. The radio station broadcast live from Cheney on Friday As the 1950s began, the Sedgwick night. Representatives of Joyland Park in County Fair had established itself as a Wichita put on a fireworks show. Before tradition. that show, the Cheney and Sedgwick The schedule included a mix of tradiCounty fire departments gave exhibitions tions established in the 1940s and new of fire fighting. events, and over time KFH Radio news director organizers worked to adapt Dick Gavitt was on hand at to changing tastes. the 1953 Sedgwick County The 1950 Fair included a Fair for a third consecutive 4-H band concert, square year, presenting the Friday dancing, a horse show, evening entertainment local entertainers and the lineup. Gavitt was wellparade. The final day of known to listeners for his the Fair also included the presentations of Wichita flight of F-84 jet fighter City Commission meetings planes by the Kansas Air every Tuesday night and National Guard. This pahis Silver Star News at 10 triotic display reflected the p.m. growing cold war between Also in 1953, the Brodthe United States and the beck Carnival and the Soviet Union. Displays also Ottaway Amusement ComMinnie Pearl included the first public pany were on hand all three showing in the United States of the 1951 nights, and a Saturday night fireworks Crosley appliances at the K&S Motors show capped the Fair. and Implement Company booth.

The 10th annual Sedgwick County Fair The schedule moved a day, as the 1950 was held Aug. 19-21, 1954. A Saturday Fair was held on Thursday, Friday and morning children’s program by Lloyd Saturday, Aug. 24-26, and was now a bon- Hamrick of Wichita included 17 pony afide summer event. From the 1950s on acts and seven dog tricks. The Fair in– with one exception – the Fair would be cluded improvements at the fairgrounds, held either in July or August. including two new buildings, another Prize money in 1951 totaled $2,500 in cattle shed and a large poultry building.

10 departments. W.A. Young and Joe McAdditional water lines were laid, and a Quillan of Clearwater supervised the beef concrete floor run north of the roundtop cattle. Dairy cattle were overseen by John exhibits building was poured. The floor Nelson and Bill Berholf of Wichita. Henry was used for the square dance, with plans Bock and Charles Ott of Wichita and Gail to construct a new exhibits building on Woodard of Maize oversaw sheep. The the site. The Cheney Chamber of Comhog department was supervised by George merce shelter also was constructed on the Wetta of Andale and Sylvester Martin west edge of the grounds. of Mt. Hope. Louis Sittler was in charge In 1955, the Fair included an infantry of poultry. Marvin Wilson and Oscar weapons display by the 10th Division of Matthew of Cheney were in charge of farm the 85th Infantry Regiment of Fort Riley. crops. Lee Pike of Cheney was superinten- The American Legion Drum and Bugle dent of the vegetable department. Home Corps of Wichita also performed, and economics superintendents were: Mrs. Lee there was a donkey softball game feaPike, baking; Mrs. Calvin Brown, canning; turing farmers against townsmen. Adult Mrs. Ralph Palmer and Mrs. Roy Dewey, admission was 50 cents. domestic art; Mrs. John Wulf and Mrs. One of the biggest headlines was Henry Lorenz, flower show. a Saturday evening storm that rolled Billy Wimberly and the famous KFH Ark Valley Boys were part of the KFH See 1950s, Page 8

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Page 7

Congratulations on 75 years!

12140 W. K-42 • Wichita, KS 67227

316-524-8345

Two of the prize-winning Aberdeen Angus cattle shown by Joe McQuillan of Clearwater are posed with a group of visitors at the 1950 Sedgwick County Fair. The building in the background housed cattle exhibited by the Sedgwick County Aberdeen Angus Breeders Association.

Second place in the business division of the 1951 Sedgwick County Fair went to the Cheney Sentinel.

The float showed a huge birthday cake celebrating the 10th anniversary of Floyd and Norma Souders as publishers of the newspaper which was founded in 1894 but was purchased by the Souderses in 1941.

Joyce Woodard of Maize, left, prepares to enter an angel food cake in the 4-H food preparation class at the 1955 Sedgwick County Fair, held Aug. 18-20.

Karen Mauck of the Goddard 4-H Club is consulting the premium list. There were many entries in all sections of the 4-H club division.

Welcome to Cheney, home of the Sedgwick County Fair and Cherry Oaks Golf Course

18 Holes with Cart

ONLY $30 Monday-Friday

Must Present Ad for Discount

Expires: September 30, 2020

To make a tee time call 316-540-0133 or visit our website

cheneyks.org

cherryoaksgc.com

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Page 8

6325 S. Seneca St., Wichita | (316) 529-1883 | www.chancetrans.com

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

1950s

Continued from Page 6

Memories of Past Fairs

Cheney Pharmacy 114 N. Main Cheney

(316) 542-0464

Remembering 75 years of the Sedgwick County Fair!

Your home, our community!

For more information about housing and business opportunities in Goddard, call 794-2441 or visit www.goddardks.gov

in around 6 o’clock. According to the Cheney Sentinel, dark clouds rolled up from the southwest and a strong wind blew a lot of dust into the fairgrounds.

The Kingman National Guard cranked up its big tank and moved it south of the Christian church food tent to break the wind, and the carnival weighted down the merry-go-round and protected it with a large semi-truck. After the wind, there was a nice shower of rain.

Two big – and varied – things happened at the 1956 Fair. First was a slew of new building construction, highlighted by new food booths for the Christian and Methodist churches. They moved into the permanent buildings after years of providing food in tents. Built on the west side of the fairgrounds, the buildings are still in use today. The Methodist booth is on the south, and the Christian booth (now Trinity United Christian Church) is to the north. The church groups drew lots for locations inside the gates by the old office building, which was razed. Materials were furnished by the Fair association, and church members did the work.

The other highlight was an appearance

by Minnie Pearl. Considered America’s foremost country comedienne, she brought a star-studded Grand Ole Opry Show to Cheney. More seating was arranged as a crowd of 2,000 people was expected. Money raised from the show was to be used for buildings and equipment on the fairgrounds. The Sentinel reported that it was the first time since World War II that the Sedgwick County Fair booked entertainment with admission. The show also included singer Judith Tubb, banjoist Stringbean, Merl Lindsay and the Oklahoma Night Riders, rock-n-rollers Joyce Moore and Bobbie Heider, and singing star Yvonne McGowan.

The big-name country music entertainment continued in 1957 with a concert

by June Carter – future wife of Johnny Cash. The 13th annual Fair was held Aug. 29-31. Another Grand Ole Opry star, Carter headlined a lineup that included the Cowboy Copas, Billy Gray and his Decca Recording Band, Louise Rowe, Leon Zboulangher and Norma Beasler.

Wanda Jean Southwood, 14, of Clearwater, appeared on the 1953 Saturday evening program at the Sedgwick County Fair with a baton twirling exhibition.

Admission was $1 for adults and 50 cents for children.

Another new hog building was opened for the 1958 Sedgwick County Fair, located west of the other hog building.

The roundtop, the fairgrounds’ first permanent building, became home to the flower show and canning and baking.

In 2019, it continued to host Open Class exhibits, including quilts, photos and art, canning and baking. The new construction brought to 21 the total number of buildings on the fairgrounds.

The decade wrapped up with the 15th Fair, held Aug. 27-29, 1959. The end of the decade brought another new event with the addition of a Sedgwick County Fair Queen, sponsored by the Eta Theta chapter of the Epsilon Sigma Alpha sorority. Six towns were represented by the contestants: Bonnie Chilton of Maize, Sharon Ferguson of Cheney, Violet Blackford of Mt. Hope, Karen Woods of Garden Plain, Della Boyd of Bentley and Donna Matzen of Goddard. Chilton was the winner.

The entertainment lineup included the Grand Ole Opry show, led by Ernest Tubbs and the Texas Troubadors; the Mattox Brothers Carnival; a magic circus; 1/4-midget auto races by a Wichita youth auto racing club; the 20th Century Follies; and a patriotic parachute jump

by Wichitan Lee A. Wright, who had performed at air meets in many states.

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

1960s Traditions continue

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Page 9

New events added

The dawn of the 1960s brought cultural revolutions and turbulence to much of the nation, but it was a time of relative stability for the Sedgwick County Fair.

The new decade dawned with traditions that had been established in the post-World War II 1940s through the 1950s.

One of the first stories about the 1960 Sedgwick County Fair was the return of the Sedgwick County Fair Queen. The towns of Cheney, Clearwater, Maize, Bentley and Garden Plain were represented by (in order) Suzanne Northcutt, Kay Mourning, Ada Jane Lofton, LoHoma Fields and Agnes Becker. Northcutt was crowned as the queen.

Opening night included live elephanants as part of the Magic Circus Show.

The Wichita-Sedgwick County Civil Defense put on a heavy rescue demonstration. Other entertainment included the Hank Thompson Stage Show, midget auto racing and fireworks.

The Serenaders, a popular Midwestern family group, highlighted the entertainment in 1961. The group brought a wide variety of Western, popular and sacred music along with novelty numbers and comedy routines. DeForrest Attractions staged a Centennial Revue, with circus novelty acts, magic tricks and a medicine show. The Southern Kansas Gunfighters Association staged fast-draw demonstrations. The Cheney Sentinel said more than an inch of rain on Friday night turned the northeast corner of the fairgrounds into a quagmire, but it failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd on Friday or Saturday nights.

A 1962 Sentinel headline reflected the times, proclaiming ahead of the Fair: “Five pretty girls compete for Fair queen.”

The 18th annual fair included entertainment on the newly-constructed stage in

See 1960s, Page 10

Todd Rosenhagen takes a 4-yearold look at the tractors in the 1963 Sedgwick County Fair parade from the seat of his own little tractor. He joined the bigger machines for most of the parade route.

LEFT: Richard Miller, 9, of Norwich, entered this big homegrown pumpkin in the 1964 Sedgwick County Fair. Vegetables, fruits and crops were exhibited in the No. 3 Fair building.

RIGHT: Melvin Metzen, Viola, is shown with the Angus junior yearling steer that was named grand champion of the 4-H beef division at the 1962 Sedgwick County Fair.

An aerial photograph shows the Sedgwick County Fairgrounds in Cheney as they appeared in this undated image from the 1960s.

Numerous buildings were added in the 1950s and 1960s, many of which are still in use today.

The church food booths can be seen along the tree line in the left part of the photograph, just above the Open Air Arena in the bottom left.

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Page 10

1960s

Continued from Page 9

“The Beverly Hillbillies” as portrayed by members of the Eta Theta sorority get ready for the 1963 Sedgwick County Fair parade. The humorous float was the first-prize winner in the historical division at the annual parade.

“Convenient Quality Dentistry In A Caring Environment”

New Patients Always Welcome

he Fair arena. Other improvements were made at the food booths, display buildings, judging rings and livestock wash racks. Wichita University students Carl Philo, Janice Stinson and Dennis Harris performed. Pleasant weather the first two days of the fair gave way to a high of 103 on Saturday.

The five Fair queen contestants in 1963 were Judy Richardson of Cheney, Ruth Ann Lampe of Garden Plain, Pat Hilstegge of Goddard, Mary Lou Vancuren of Viola and Judy Washington of Maize.

The annual square dance featured the Cliff and Smiley Band of Oklahoma City; admission was $1.50 per couple.

The Thursday night stage show at the 1964 Sedgwick County Fair, held Aug. 2022, was “Fair Varieties of 1964,” staged by the Cheney Public School music department under the direction of Howard T. Oliphant. The Kansas Pony and Trotting Association put on Saturday’s horse show.

Don Burford

Assoc. Borker/Auctioneer

Now with J.P. Weigand & Sons, Inc. 415 E. 4th • Bell Plaine

316-619-3719

• Complete Family Dentistry • Cosmetic Dentistry • Most Insurance Accepted • Nitrous Oxide • Root Canal Therapy • Periodontics (Gum Disease) • Teeth Whitening • Dentures & Partials • Crowns & Bridges In Our Office: Only Registered Hygienists Clean Teeth Discount When Paid In Full On Day Of Service

Dr. Sabina May Dr. Jeff Smith Dr. Brent Carpenter 942-5358 Dr. Richard Clark Flexible Payment Plans Care Credit With Approved Credit Monday-Thursday • 8 am - 9 pm Friday • 8 am - 5 pm Saturday by Appointment

Members of ADA, KDA, & WDDS

444 N. Ridge Rd. • Wichita Just south of Central www.dentalassociatesks.com

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

The Fair had record attendance with an estimated crowed of 18,000 people over three days. The parade also was considered one of the largest in the Fair’s history, with 35 floats.

The Balladiers, a folk group from Manhattan, Kan., performed at the 1965 Fair.

KFDI Radio staged a free country and western music show. Toby’s Amusements provided carnival rides over three days.

“Summer Relaxations” was the theme for the 1966 Fair parade, which again kicked off the annual three-day event.

The event was dampened a bit by summer rain showers. More than 2 inches of rain fell. Saturday’s featured entertainer was the Elmer Childress family of Wichita, popular television entertainers.

Mr. and Mrs. Childress performed with their daughters, Pam, Debbie and Shari.

The family had performed in Cheney previously.

The 1967 Fair, held Aug. 17-19, was very similar to other Fairs in the 1960s, with music from Cheney Public Schools and the KFDI Radio “Ranch Hands.”

The Elmer Childress family played again, presented by KARD-TV. The Cheney Sentinel reported the Fair had strong attendance thanks in part to ideal autumn-like weather in the middle of August. The Fair opened a new sheep building on the southeast corner of the grounds.

Visitors to the 1968 Fair saw major building changes. The former sheep building was remodeled, enclosed with a ceiling, windows and doors and configured for commercial booths plus benches for fairgoers to rest on.

The 1960s wrapped with the 25th annual Fair, held Aug. 14-16 in Cheney.

Around $3,500 in prize money was available in a dozen departments in Open Class, FFA and 4-H.

Built in Wichita, for the World CNH is a world leader in the agricultural and construction equipment business. The Wichita facility is home to a Manufacturing, Engineering & Testing Center. We have current positions for both hourly and salary employees including painters and assemblers. Immediate openings are for both 1st and 3rd shift.

More information about these products and the brands behind them can be found online at www.cnhindustrial.com

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Page 11

75 Fairs and 80 years – A look at the Sedgwick County Fair These undated photos are from Souders Historical Museum, and are presumably from the archives of the Cheney Sentinel during the ownership of Floyd and Norma Souders. Our assumption is that these photographs are from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.

Outside of the original roundtop barn, built in time for the first Sedgwick County Fair in 1940, most of the rest of the Fair was held underneath tents.

A number of new buildings were added in the mid-1950s, and the fairgrounds have seen regular additions and upgrades in the decades since then.

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Page 12

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

LEFT: The 34th annual Sedgwick County Fair parade, held in 1978, was reportedly the largest in its history with more than 100 vehicles involved. The parade was led down Cheney’s Main Street by the McConnell Air Force Base color guard, followed by Gov. Robert Bennett.

The political scene was well-represented as 14 politicians smiled and waved at the crowd along the parade route.

ABOVE: An up-and-coming country singer named Reba McEntire performed on Friday, July 27, 1979, at the Sedgwick County Fair.

1970s Singing stars highlight the decade

Fair moves to July

The Sedgwick County Fair headed into its second quarter century with the 26th annual edition, held Aug. 13-15, 1970.

Entertainment continued to have a regional feel with The Ranch Boys of KFRM Radio on Saturday in the Open Air Arena. Temperatures were hot, with highs of 97, 101 and 102 degrees, although a light rain on Saturday cooled things off for the conclusion of the Fair. Ottaway Carnival

Proud Supporter of Sedgwick County Fair & 4H Clubs!

Beef Quarters & Halves Special Call for more information

Goddard

111 N. Main 794-8762

Mulvane

115 N. First 777-4421

provided colorful rides in 1970.

Popular Kansas songwriter, singer and publisher Bill Post, of Gueda Springs, entertained audiences at the Sedgwick County Fair. He is known for the song, “Where In The World But Kansas.”

A tractor pull was added to the Saturday afternoon schedule for the 1972 Sedgwick County Fair, held Aug. 10-12.

The contest was open to all rubber-tired farm-owned tractors. The Harvey County Tractor Committee cooperated with the Sedgwick County Fair Association in

Proud supporter of the 75th Anniversary!

Sedgwick County Electric Cooperative 1355 S. 383rd W. Cheney

(316) 542-3131

running the contest.

New chainlink fencing was installed ahead of the 1973 Sedgwick County Fair, held Aug. 9-11. The fence was installed on the north boundary of the fairgrounds as well as along one section on the west, with several new gates included. A new partition fence with a gate was built between the cattle barns and parking area to the south, replacing an unsightly snow fence. Over the winter, repainting was done to most building exteriors, the bleachers, the horseshoe backstops and

Play Golf At: 1 Power Drive Pretty Prairie, KS 67570

620-459-4653

thelinksatprettyprairie@gmail.com www.thelinksatprettyprairie.com

Redeem This Coupon For:

Buy 1 get 1 Green Fee Tues.-Fri. Excludes Holidays

Play all day Monday with Cart - $20 Well worth the drive!

the trash cans. Improvements were made inside the 4-H display buildings. A lawn mower and garden tractor pull was added to the 1973 events list.

The Sedgwick County Fair celebrated 30 years with the 1974 edition.

The parade theme was “Kansas Wheat Centennial,” celebrating the 100th anniversary of the arrival of Turkey hard red winter wheat in the state. The entertainment lineup included dancers from the Mid-America All Indian Center, the Midian Shrine Hillbilly Band, and The Plainsmen country and gospel group.

The Sentinel’s welcome story to the 1975 Fair included a friendly reminder to visitors, courtesy of Cheney Police Chief Dean Berg. “Please observe the speed limits, lock your car, bring the family and have a good time.”

Little Jimmy Dickens, a member of the Grand Ole Opry and now a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, highlighted the 1976 Sedgwick County Fair, held July 29-31. The concert was sponsored by KBUL Radio. Dickens died in 2015. A new type of storm shelter, called the “Super Bubble,” was debuted at the Fair.

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

The 1976 Fair marked a move into July after years of being an August event. The Sedgwick County Fair originally was held in October, replacing the Cheney Fair, but moved to September after World War II. The Fair was well attended despite hot weather, with an estimated total attendance of 12,000 people.

The Wichita Continental Ambassadors Drum and Bugle Corps added a dash of color to the 1977 Fair parade. Membership included one drum major, 15 flags, two sabres, four rifles, 12 percussionists and 25 brass members. Hoover Cott’s story in the July 21 Sentinel noted that Miss Kansas 1976, Linda Hall of Emporia, accepted an invitation to appear in the parade under the auspices of the Cheney Jaycees and Northboro Development Corp. Kansas Lt. Gov. Shelby Smith was in the lead car, a yellow 1964 Corvair convertible. Rain washed out the last two

entertainment events on Saturday night.

A July Fair became a tradition by 1978, the third year the Fair was held in that month. The three-day event opened on Thursday, July 27, with the annual parade.

The theme was “America, The Beautiful,” and Kansas Gov. Robert Bennett headed the parade. There were 14 departments available in which people could submit entries. A 35-member community choir performed “I Love America” at the Open Air Arena, with Sue Brown on piano and Paulette Whitmer on organ.

While the Fair secured a bonafide star in 1976 with Little Jimmy Dickens, in 1979 the Sedgwick County Fair featured a little-known country singer from Oklahoma named Reba McEntire. The now-famous redhead secured her first top 20 hit three months after the Fair, and became a superstar five years later.

Page 13

Patton Trucking Equipment LLC 224 W. 140th Ave. N. Clearwater, KS 620-584-2243

Hartley Fish Farm

Catfish • Small & Large Mouth Bass Blue Gill • Blue Gill Hybrid • Red Ear • Crappie Walleye • Trout • Grass Carp Fat Head Minnows • Gumosi Minnows (Mosquito Eating Larvae Minnow)

Kingman, KS • (620) 532-3093

We have a complete line of Purina Mills feeds

ABOVE: The 1979 turtle race winners were, from left, Danny Taylor, Steve Taylor, Lee Baker, Devon Baker, Jennifer Hart and Karen Taylor.

BELOW: An old time county fair would not be complete without a horseshoe tournament. Top horseshoe pitchers in this part of the nation came to compete.

Pet Food ∙ Animal Health Products ∙ Bearings, Lawn & Garden Fertilizer Bulk Feed ∙Farm Supply Service Administration ..........................800-525-7490 ....................................................316-542-3182 Anness/Norwich .......................620-478-2272 Belmont/Rago ...........................316-297-3911 Cheney.......................................316-542-3181 Clonmel .....................................620-545-7138 Feed Plant .................................316-535-2291 Garden Plain .............................316-535-2221 Kingman ....................................620-532-2662 Pretty Prairie/Varner .................620-459-6413

Bulk Soy Bean Seed and Wheat Seed Available

Farmers Coop Elevator Company 106 E. South Ave • Cheney (316) 542-3182 • (800) 525-7490

www.gardenplaincoop.com

Proud supporters of the Sedgwick County Fair!

Cheney Lake Association

Dedicated to preserving Cheney State Park and Reservoir, and protecting Wichita’s water supply.

Page 14

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

1980s A new decade, a new day for Fair parade

Fair, Cheney centennial share a May weekend

Kansas Gov. John Carlin was on hand to present the Grand Champion Showman award in the 4-H stock division at the 1980 Sedgwick County Fair, which ran July 24-26. Nostalgia was built into the 36th annual Fair, as the parade theme was “Remember When.” The First Christian Church provided fried chicken, and the United Methodist Church dished out chicken and noodles. The annual Sedgwick County Fair parade was held on Saturday morning at 10 a.m., marking the first time in decades that the parade did not serve as the Fair’s kick-off event.

Moderate weather helped crowds at the 1981 Sedgwick County Fair, which ran from July 30 to Aug. 1. Highlights included a draft horse show by the Kansas Draft Horse and Mule Association, the annual horseshoe tournament, a tractor pull, bicycle motocross demonstration, and music by the Bourbon Street Seven, the Wichita Banjo Band and The Old Timers, a country and harmonica band.

The 1982 Sedgwick County Fair, held July 29-31, included a show by the Clearwater band The Drifters, a country-western group. Band members included Grant Creed on fiddle, Eldon Raines on drums, Don Harris and Hank Light on rhythm guitars, and Cecil Clark on banjo. Cornelson’s Big Valley Rides provided the carnival. The parade theme was “Beautiful Kansas.”

One hundred years of railroads were celebrated in the 1983 Fair parade. Radio personality Larry Steckline served as master of ceremonies during the parade.

Things were quite a bit different in 1984, as the Sedgwick County Fair was held Friday-Sunday, May 25-27.

While the Fair had always been a community-wide event, it took on a decidedly-Cheney flavor as the community celebrated its centennial. It also marked the 40th annual Fair. Events included a centennial run, carnival, rodeo, historical tours, car show, parade, tours of Souders Farm Museum, live music and a centennial pageant. It was a big event for the Cheney Sentinel, which published a centennial edition on Wednesday, May 23, 1984.

Fair premium books for the 1985 Sedgwick County Fair were available at the newspaper offices of the Cheney Sentinel and the Clearwater Times, as well as at area co-ops, local businesses and the Sedgwick County Extension office in Wichita. The Run to Cheney was introduced in 1985, featuring a 2-mile fun run and a 4-mile run. The event was born out of the centennial run held the year before. Skydivers and a rodeo also were introduced in 1985. The Friday night rodeo was staged by the Cheney Saddle Club and sponsored by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

The 1986 Fair included the Miss Sedgwick County Fair Queen Pageant, a musical revue put on by the Empire House Theater in Wichita, a ping pong ball drop and a parachute show. Eight contestants competed for the Fair Queen crown. An old-time threshing demonstration

brought a sense of nostalgia to the Fair. There also was good, clean fun, including a mud volleyball tournament.

There were lots of familiar events and groups at the 1987 Sedgwick County Fair. Food was offered up by the YWCA, Pronto Pup, Gambino’s Pizza and Tropical Snow, and the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church youth sold pop. The Christian Church and the Methodist Church maintained their traditions that stretch back to the Fair’s beginnings. Sporting events included softball, mud volleyball and the Run to Cheney.

The Del Reys provided the music for the Friday night dance at the 1988 Sedgwick County Fair, held July 21-23.

This year’s Fair included a longest drive and closest pin shot golf contest. Also new were bicycle races, sponsored by the Oz Bicycle Club. There were age divisions for adults down to children as young as 4. A turkey shoot was held at the newly-completed trap range just north of Cheney.

The West Sedgwick County Sentinel newspaper in Goddard previewed the 1989 Fair. It noted that there would be a children’s talent contest, a 16-team softball tournament, and a 3-on-3 basketball tournament. A horse show kicked off the Fair. More than 50 commercial exhibitors displayed their wares. The Senseny Music Community Band staged a free concert. Events also included guided tours of Souders Historical Museum, a classic car show and radio-controlled model aeronautics.

The winner of the Miss Cheney Lake Scholarship Pageant advanced to the 1990 Miss Kansas Pageant.

FAR LEFT: Two-yearold Autumn Medley enjoyed a horseback ride at the Sedgwick County Fair – on the carousel at the carnival midway. The Clearwater youth is the daughter of Ben and Jean Medley.

LEFT: Neil Oliver of Downs, Kan., won the “wildest” title in the beard contest. Judge Mavis Mooberry measures his beard.

Oliver is the son of Estey Oliver of Cheney. The Cheney centennial was held in conjunction with the Sedgwick County Fair, marking the only time in 75 years that the Fair was held in May.

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Page 15

BELOW: Ruby Truax of rural Clearwater, former county extension home economist, looks for the best in home canning entries at the 1987 Sedgwick County Fair.

ABOVE LEFT: Ramona Lampe won the talent competition of the Miss Cheney Lake Scholarship Pageant with her rendition of an aria from the opera “Candide.” The pageant was part of the 1987 Sedgwick County Fair.

ABOVE RIGHT: Dustin Brown of Garden Plain and his beef steer seem to have about the same opinion of the hot sunshine and the beef competition – a nap might be better.

To our Sedgwick County Fair Patrons,

As you already know, the Sedgwick County Fair Board had to cancel the 2020 Fair due to concerns over COVID-19. This was not an easy decision and was delayed as long as possible in order to have as much information as possible.

In the end we did not feel we could provide the type of environment needed during these times to keep everyone safe. As you will see in the pages of this keepsake there are so many people who have helped make the Fair a success through volunteer time, energy, donations or simply showing up to support all the activity going on.

Without all of you, this event would not exist so “Thank You” to everyone involved for a job well done each year.

A special “Thank You” goes out to all of our first responders for the job they do as well. The Fair is truly a tradition and, in many ways, makes everyone involved family. For 4 days each July, everyone can escape the real world for a bit and have some good old country fun.

This is why the decision to cancel was so difficult. It will be odd to not see old friends and watch kids having a blast this year. We will be planning for 2021 soon and look forward to all the excitement everyone is used to. In the meantime, stay safe, help one another and have the best summer you can.

Bret Albers

President, Sedgwick County Fair Association

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Page 16

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

August 3, 1978 | The Cheney Sentinel

Fair goers well fed

Garden Plain Body & Repair 3550 S. 295th W. • Garden Plain

316-531-2571

HENRY DICK DIGGING, INC. Ponds - Terraces - Waterways Tree Clearing - Rock and Sand Hauling

EXCAVATOR • BACKHOE • SCRAPERS • ROADGRADER BOBCAT HILOADERS • TRUCKS • LICENSED TANK REMOVAL

CALL ON EXPERIENCE STEVE 620-478-2560

Mobile 316-215-2302

36412 W. 119TH ST. S. • MILTON, KANSAS 67106 Member of the Kansas Land Improvement Contractors of America

Greg Seiler, DVM • Chad Hommertzheim, DVM Liz Allinger, DVM • KaCee Carson, DVM

• •

• •

During the Sedgwick County Fair, three churches have had booths to serve food and drink, keeping fairgoers will fed.

Two of them, the Methodist Church and the Christian Church, have screened buildings in which the whole congregation helps out. While specific ladies groups are at the head of the planning, a great deal of help comes in from everyone, including the men and young people.

Chicken and noodles are the specialty of the Methodist booth. About 100 chickens are cooked, deboned and frozen and the noodles are made, cut, dried and packed about two weeks prior to the Fair for about six electric rosters of chicken and noodles that are served each day. Along with this are ham and beans and home baked pies.

The Christian Church specializes in fried chicken, nu-burgers and various salads.

Around 980 pounds of chicken and 195 pounds of hamburger are used during the three-day Fair.

In contrast to the food baths, the Lutheran church runs a pop stand operated mainly by the young people. On the average, 250 gallons of pop are served from the stand or carried out for special events such as the tractor pulls and the animal judging.

June 2006 | Sedgwick County Fair Guide

Pizza, patience and family work well together

B y Pau l R h o d e s Over the years, Dorothy Albers has taught a lot of kids how to count back change during the Sedgwick County Fair.

Dorothy’s family owns and operates D’Mario’s Pizza just north of Cheney, and the Albers family has been serving up pizza during the Fair for the past 20 years. For most of those years, it has been Dorothy’s job to organize the pizza booth and its workers.

“That’s how I earn my paycheck,” Dorothy said with a laugh. Over the years, she has recruited her own children, relatives, and friends of the family to work at the pizza booth.

“The first year, we used another building on the fairgrounds,” said Dorothy.

“After that, we built our own shed.”

The building located just behind home plate on the fairgrounds ball diamond, has become a landmark. It sits right at a major “intersection” for pedestrian traffic on the fairgrounds, and also is located right across from the Fair’s main stage. It’s a great vantage point for customers – and for Dorothy Albers to visit with customers.

Two of Dorothy’s sons, Bret and Jeff Albers, grew up working in the pizza booth.

Bret is now president of the Sedgwick County Fair Association, and Jeff Albers is president of the Cheney Chamber of

Commerce. Both are involved with operations at D’Mario’s, along with their other business interests.

And, both know how much their mother enjoys the social interaction that comes with running the pizza booth at the Fair.

“She’s been doing it long enough that she sees the same faces and she probably knows what they want before they even get to the booth,” Jeff Albers said. “She enjoys seeing everybody and talking with everybody. She knows a lot of people but if she doesn’t know them she can talk to them like she’s known them for 20 years, and they can be a complete stranger. I’ve seen her do it time and time again.”

Older brother Bret agreed.

“She’s been a part of the Fair for as long as I can remember,” said Bret. “She’s always been at the booth to make sure things are running right.”

Now that her own kids are past the age of working in the pizza booth, Dorothy has moved on to other branches of the family tree. This year, she said, she’ll have great nieces and nephews working for her.

“When they’re little, the kids can’t wait to work for me at the Fair,” she said. “It loses some of the appeal after a while – but at least they know how to count back change and greet the public.”

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

June 2015 | Sedgwick County Fair Guide

Cheney man whips the parade into shape

By Amy Houston Verle Engel is known for whip-cracking shows where he uses the whips to knock a flower from his wife’s hand.

Although he is the star of the show, some believe his wife of 47 years, Elda, deserves just as much credit for her part of the display – and her courage. She admitted that she holds out a rose and hopes for the best.

“It’s not going to hit me in the face or anything like that because he’s more accurate than that. Also, his very life is at stake,” she said with a laugh.

The Engels are regulars at the Sedgwick County Fair. They also have performed at Garden Plain’s Fourth of July celebration and in parades at Colwich, Goddard and Wichita. Verle appears in shows at Old Cowtown Museum as well.

Verle became interested in whip shows 15 years ago, when he was near Lake Tahoe on business. He watched a show when he visited the Ponderosa Ranch from “Bonanza.”

“It’s kind of been a learning process to learn to buy the right types of whips and things,” Verle said. “I kind of learned on my own. I actually started researching a couple years after that.”

He started his hobby by purchasing a thick leather whip, which was hard to crack, and goggles for eye protection.

He also obtained a video that explained the four basic whip cracks.

“I just watched that and watched that,” Verle recalled, “and one day it was kind of windy, so I went behind a barn and proceeded to just beat myself up. That’s what you do when

you’re first learning it.

“It’s like everything else – it’s harder than it seems,” he continued. “I was excited about it, and I finally got the thing to crack.”

He now owns about a dozen whips, plus six more that are shorter and easier for kids to handle. He taught a whip-cracking session for Girl Scouts in Wichita, and the organization made a special patch for whip cracking.

As Verle’s show progressed over the years, he added prerecorded music such as “Rawhide” and “Mule Skinner Blues.”

He also purchased a longer trailer and convinced Elda to join him.

“She dresses up and sits there and waves,” he said. “Once in a while she’ll grab a rose and hold it out, and I’ll cut it off – very visual, you know.

“It’s fun,” he added. “The kids love it.”

After Verle learned to crack whips, he started target practice and began cutting targets. He can cut a piece of uncooked spaghetti, a half-inch at a time.

Accuracy is crucial during parades, especially if it’s a windy day or the trailer wiggles a bit as it travels down the road.

Verle emphasized the importance of practice since the whip is traveling 90 to 100 miles per hour when it strikes.

“When it’s going that fast, it can hurt you,” he said. “It makes a good welt, or it can bleed.

I cut my face once, years ago when I was practicing.

That was after it wrapped around me once.”

Despite those early mishaps, Elda has faith in her husband as she watches the whip approach her hand.

“I know that he’s not going to whack me with the whip. He might catch a finger now and then, but I have gloves.

I just keep smiling and waving, then when I get home, I speak to him about it,” she said with a chuckle.

Page 17

Proud to support our 4-H Clubs.

Thanks for the memories!

clipn curl Beauty Salon

208 N. Main • Cheney

316-542-3672

n a m g Kin romat Laund 439 N. Lincoln • Kingman

620-491-2872

Phone: (316) 644-9114 7515 W. 37th St. N. Ste. 101 Wichita, KS 67205

Come check out the Beer Cave!

Compton Retail Liquor Store 105 West Second Cheney, KS 67025

(316) 542-0440

Open Sundays Noon - 6 p.m.

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Page 18

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

June 2006 | Sedgwick County Fair Guide

We look forward to seeing you next year!

Big Toy Storage & RV Park

810 East E Ave. • Kingman

620-491-2872

Roger Zerener, John Hillman, Arlene Fasbender, Jami Viner, & Anthony Youngers 229 N. Main - Cheney, KS 67025 (316) 540-3124 | farmandhomeks.com Local Expertise - Regional Influence National Market

Walk-ins Welcome Chemical Services Styling • Waxing

219 N. Main St. Cheney, KS

(316) 540-6200

Lacy Thome & Maranda Moody Stylists

Kingman

Medicine Lodge

Cheny

Pratt

Anthony & Sims Insurance Services in Maize

4H brought two lives together 55 years ago

By K at h y G o o da l e As children, Charlotte and Ronnie Ringer lived five miles from one another for years, yet they didn’t meet until they were both 96 miles from home. They attended different high schools and were involved in different clubs within 4H. Charlotte’s involvement began in 1944 and Ronnie’s in 1945.

It wasn’t until the summer of 1951 that the Ringers each found their soulmate while stargazing and dancing on a Rock Springs hillside in Junction City. The romance has stayed strong for 55 years, and they have been married 51 of those years. Charlotte says their secret to a long, successful marriage is based on the good Lord and the fact that they grew up together.

They continued their active involvement within 4H along with their two sons and attended camp where they made many lasting friendships. Charlotte enjoys seeing adults who were once in her group as children. A past member recently shared with her that he still bakes cookies, something he learned from her while she was a Foods leader.

Charlotte recalls the Who’s Who group where their involvement allowed them to meet kids from all over the country.

“From this experience, we learned how to meet with people and not to be afraid to express ourselves,” said Charlotte.

Looking

back, the Ringers fully realize what they gained from their involvement with 4H. “You learn to think and to get organized. It taught us public speaking and how to get up in front of people,” said Ronnie.

The Ringers have witnessed the many changes that 4H has undergone over the years. They feel that it now accommodates children who live in the city as well as the country.

“The projects have definitely expanded and there are many now that didn’t exist while we were involved. Gardening, arts and crafts, and photography classes are only a few of many that were offered,” said Charlotte.

The Ringers recently sold their second liquor store and plan to embark on something new. Their new venture entails moving 10 miles north of Medicine Lodge where they will build a Bed and Breakfast.

“I look forward to seeing a lot of different people from all over the state with different interests. [Having different interests] is what keeps you young,” said Charlotte.

The 4H offers endless possibilities, a huge potential for growth, and a wonderful learning experience that will last a lifetime. Who knows… you might even meet the future love of your life there.

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Page 19

June 1998 | Sedgwick County Fair Guide

Second time again the charm for Fair button contest winner

By D iana Shaughnessy Last year Amy Leiker entered the button design contest for the Sedgwick County Fair because she had to.

“My art teacher, Mrs. Roach, gave us the design assignment in our two-dimensional art class last year, then entered our design in the contest. This year I did it on my own time just for fun.” Utilizing the simple arrangement of an eagle, a biplane and a jet on a sky-blue background, white letters announced the motto of this year’s Fair, “The Sky’s The Limit.”

Her simple yet eye-catching design was chosen out of the 75 entries to be reproduced on buttons. Button design contest organizer Paul Rhodes said that this was the largest number of entries to date in the history of this event. The design will also be available on T-shirts at Cheney Variety this year.

“We should have the T-shirts available by the first part of July. Unless we have requests, the shirts will be in adult sizes only,” said Marge Zogleman, owner of the store.

When asked about her design for this year’s button, Leiker said, “I wanted to stay with a simple design. If it’s too elab-

orate, the details are lost when the design is shrunk down to button size.”

Leiker, a student at Cheney High school, said that art is a hobby with her.

“I do art for fun and relaxation,” she said. “When I get to college I will probably take some art courses but my real interest is in archaeology.”

When she found out that she had won, Leiker said that she screamed, “Mom, I won again,” and started jumping up and down. “I was really surprised.”

Leiker is a Cheney resident and will be a junior this fall at Cheney High School.

She combines interests in theater, music and athletics to stay busy during the school year and throughout the summer.

She will even be performing in the Community Theater’s presentation of “They Went Thataway!” in the part of incognito movie starlet Sue Castle. A straight-A student in school, Leiker feels that everyone should enter the button contest next year.

“It’s a real fun shock when you win,” she said with an excited smile.

Update: Amy Leiker went on to be an intern and reporter for Times Sentinel Newspapers, and now reports for the Wichita Eagle.

• GPS Grid Soil Sampling • Variable Rate Lime Applications • Multi-Product VRT Fertilizer Application

(620) 456-2839 1098 N. Conway Springs Rd. Conway Springs, KS 67031

M O R R I S YO D E R AU C T I O N S

Proud supporter of the Sedgwick County Fair and good luck to 4H!

For More Info Contact: Morris Yoder 620-899-6227 Go to Auctionzip.com for more photos.

Terms: Cash, Credit Card or Check with Proper ID

Farm Auctions, Equipment, Livestock, Real Estate, Antiques, Estates

morrisauctions.com

Morris Yoder Auctioneer / Realtor 620-899-6227 / Associate Realtor /Auctioneer w/Riggin & Company 505 S. Broadway St., Ste. 114, Wichita KS 67202

Page 20

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

July 2013 | Sedgwick County Fair Results

Grabers have generations of music in their blood

By Michael Buhler Two of the acts in this year’s Fair’s Got Talent competition at the Sedgwick County Fair not only were related to each other, but they also brought a long-standing tradition of singing to the stage.

Macy Wallace, the runner-up at Fair’s Got Talent, is the daughter of Cheney Middle School principal Amy Wallace, who sang with her brother and their parents as part of the Graber family at the competition last month.

While the Graber Family has performed together for just a few years and Macy is a teenager, the family’s history of singing dates back to World War II, when Amy’s grandfather was noticed at a concert by one of the era’s best-know singers.

“Bing Crosby had gone to entertain the troops,” Amy said. “I’m not sure if he heard my grandpa singing in the crowd but he brought him up on stage.”

Amy’s grandfather sang with a barbershop quartet alongside some of his siblings, and Amy’s grandmother also was musically inclined.

“My brother and I get it from both sides,” Amy said.

With all of the talent in their genes, it is little surprise that Amy and her family began singing together.

“My brother and I were each involved with music back in school,” Wallace said. “My parents have gotten into karaoke in the last few years. Three or four years ago, the four of us decided to sing.”

The family sang “Seven Bridges Road” by the Eagles and “I Went Down to the River to Pray” (from the movie “O Brother Where Art Thou”) At Fair’s Got Talent. While the family’s performance slate so far has been confined

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

July 2014 | Sedgwick County Fair Results

to talent competitions and churches, they are looking to expand.

“I don’t know if we have any definite plans, but we want to learn some more songs and add some more to our repertoire,” Wallace said. “As for Macy, I expect she will continue to do these events and to keep singing for school.

Maybe one day, she will even try out for ‘The Voice.’”

Macy had a Fair to remember, singing “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers in the first round on July 17 and “Hero” by Mariah Carey in the finals on July 20 to finish second to Sydney Jackson.

Macy started singing in front of crowds in second grade and is excited to be part of the family’s musical tradition.

“I would say I’m pretty lucky to have the musical talent that I do,” Macy said. “I know I get it from my grandparents because they have amazing talent.”

While Macy is not sure of her future plans, she wants to stay involved with music in at least some capacity.

“I want to stay very involved with my church,” said Macy, who attends Trinity United Christian Church in Cheney. “I don’t think I’d do it as a career – I want to do other things – but I definitely want to sing with my church.”

No matter what the future holds, Amy is excited that so much of her family is involved with music.

“It’s just thrilling,” Wallace said. “It’s a family tradition for one. It’s a talent that they can enjoy their whole lives.

I’ve spent many years singing at churches, weddings and funerals. It’s awesome that they have the gift and that they’re enjoying it. It’s a way to carry on the legacy of the family. My grandparents would be overwhelmed with pride if they could see them carrying on that legacy.”

Coming back to the hutch

By Chris Carpenter Sara Michaud grew up in Mount Hope, and was always involved in 4H. “I started when I was around 7years old,” she said. “I’ve been involved with it for about 20 years.”

Michaud, now a student at Kansas University, is a judge for the 4H rabbit competitions. She’s judged at the State Fair for three years and other locations for a year and a half before that.

Michaud said that she enjoyed coming back to her roots.

“It’s cool to get a chance to come back to your area.” she said. “I get to see things from a judge’s perspective instead of a participant’s.”

Michaud made the two-hour trip from Lawrence and stayed in Cheney through the Fair. She was instrumental in organizing and judging all of the rabbits in the 4H cages.

“I love rabbits,” she said. “They’re a lot of fun to raise, show and judge.”

Next year, Michaud plans a return to judge at the Fair.

“It was a lot of fun,” she said. “I hope to get another chance to judge.”

July 20, 2000 | The Times-Sentinel

Stockemers enjoy dressing up animals

By Amy Leiker Animals add a whole new level of creativity to costume closets and dress up trunks. Just ask sisters Laura and Danielle Stockemer of Colwich.

Nine-year-old Laura and 8-year-old Danielle brought their kittens, Katy and Tom, to the Sedgwick County Fair’s Dress Up Your Animal Contest, all four clad in ensembles rescued from mom and dad’s closet. Four participants, along with their animals, showed their craftiness at the July 14 contest.

Laura’s “Country Girl” theme reminisced about life on the Kansas prairie, while Danielle’s “Red Girl” motif resembled Spanish attire.

Laura said her costume choice stemmed from her love of the country’s rolling hills and warm breezes. And

when she found Katy’s little checkered frock, she said she knew it “would be perfect with my prairie dress.”

Danielle dug through the stacks of costumes in search of her outfit. “I wore the purple thing (leotard) in case my silver dress fell off,” Danielle said. “And the red scarf is from my sister who used to be a ballerina.”

The creativeness was not without a little help from mom.

“She did my cat’s costume and my face,” Danielle announced.

It took a little of Laura’s sweet-talking to manage permission form their mom to participate in the contest.

“I had to beg,” Laura said. “She wanted to do it so bad so our mom just let her,” her sister added. “Then Laura begged me to do it with her, so I said yes.”

The girls said the only disappointment in the contest was the almost unbearable heat. Laura anxiously traded in her prairie life for a more modern T-shirt and shorts.

Danielle wasn’t so lucky.

“I didn’t actually bring clothes to change into, so I have to live in this for a while,” she said.

Laura and Danielle plan to model in the Dress Up Your Animal Contest again next year, and may bring Katy and Tom for another go-round.

“It’s my most favorite Fair in town,” Danielle smiled.

And with Dad as their escort, the girls will certainly draw a crowd to next year’s fashion show.

“I like going with them anywhere,” said Dan Stockemer, their father.

“Aw, he’s a soft heart,” Laura grinned.

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Page 21

June 2014 | Sedgwick County Fair Guide

Logan Mize comes home to headline Sedgwick County Fair

By Michael Buhler Logan Mize grew up going to the Sedgwick County Fair, so it is fitting that the Clearwater native – who has made a name for himself in country music – is returning to play at the Fair.

“I remember going to the Fair as a kid,” Mize said. “I went one year and my grandpa bought a few pigs. I remember going to bullriding – and walking around eating as many corndogs as I could. I was really into all that stuff and I have fond memories of it.”

Mize will be performing at the Sedgwick County Fairgrounds Arena on Thursday, July 10, at 7 p.m., returning to headline the same Fair that he grew up attending.

“It’s awesome that they want me to come back,” Mize said.

“They could have picked so many people, but they asked me to do it. It’s exciting – I grew up going to the Sedgwick County Fair and I’m looking forward to it.”

Sedgwick County Fair Association president Bret Albers is excited to have someone with Mize’s talent – and roots – to headline the Fair this summer.

“We’re pretty excited to have local talent like that,” Albers said. “We’re introducing big concerts back into the Fair and we’re starting off with Logan Mize. That’s a pretty good start, I think.”

Even though Mize has resided in Nashville, Tenn., for

several years now, his music still has its roots right here in Sedgwick County.

“A lot of my songs are based in Kansas,” Mize said. “Even though I’ve lived in Nashville for close to a decade, a lot of the canvas I paint on musically is based on Sedgwick County where I grew up – so getting to sing to those people is amazing.”

Mize considers life in Sedgwick County to be a simpler way of life and a contrast to life in the Music City of Nashville.

“Growing up there is a lot different than being here in Nashville, which I didn’t realize until I left,” Mize said. “The people I saw at my grandpa’s grocery story are a hard-working group of people. It’s hard to describe living here in Nashville – you see BMWs and houses bigger than city blocks.

It’s a simpler way of life in Sedgwick County and the people seem happy – it’s down to earth. Having that steady ground shaped who I am as an adult.”

All of that said, it should come as no surprise that Mize is excited to be coming home to be a major part of one of the county’s biggest events of the year.

“I’m just happy to be coming back,” Mize said, “and I’m really looking forward to it.”

The concert is sponsored by Lubbers Chevrolet, Kriz-Davis and 1005 The Wolf.

Clearwater’s Logan Mize, left, and his wife, Jill Martin, perform together during the 2014 Sedgwick County Fair. Mize is a Clearwater native and Martin is from Andale.

P & B Insurance Agency LLC Ron & Dan Palecki

Crop Insurance Experts “Crop Insurance is our ONLY Business” Serving farmers and ranchers for over 40 years

PBINSURANCE@COX.NET • PBCROPINSURANCE.COM

1-800-722-9525 • CELL: 316-258-8950

Page 22

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

Fair favorites

Every year, staff members from Times-Sentinel Newspapers fan out across the Sedgwick County Fairgrounds to capture the events, the small moments and everything in between. We take thousands of pictures, and work to narrow it down to a few dozen that appear in the pages of The Times-Sentinel, the annual Fair Results section, and the next year’s Sedgwick County Fair Guide.

ABOVE: Daphne Bullard intently watches older 4-H members compete in the dairy goat senior division at the 2016 Sedgwick County Fair.

ABOVE RIGHT: Cowboy Garfield Wilson escapes injury after falling off the bull Alabama Slammer during Friday’s Bull Blowout at the 2014 Sedgwick County Fair.

RIGHT: Braiden Jett, 4, of Cheney, keeps close watch as an “Incredibles” mask is painted onto his face by a vendor at the Sedgwick County Fair

Body Shop

Don’t Trust Just Anybody With Your Body!

Body Repair · Custom Paint Insurance Work Like us on Facebook!

Free Estimates · Free Pick-up & Delivery If Necessary

16213 NE 30th, Cheney · (316) 540-3303 · farrellspaint@att.net · Esther Farrell, Owner

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Reader memories of the Sedgwick County Fair A favorite fair memory for the Eldor and Kay Wulf family was the Bicentennial Fair in July 1976.

“Our family entered a float depicting agriculture and family – our daughters, animals, and crops.

“Eldor turned a farrowing flat top shed into a barn with a peaked roof and painted it barn red. We included three of our white pigs and used red food coloring on one pig and blue food coloring on another pig. We wanted patriotic pigs.

“We also included our pet goose, a holstein bucket calf, shocks of wheat and milo, bags of grain and straw bales. Leon Hillman loaned us a lamb.

“Our three daughters, Marilyn, 14, Brenda, 12, and Starla, 10, wore red, white, and blue shirts.

“Eldor’s sister, Paulina Wulf Ramey made the banners for each side of the car: ‘AGRICULTURE the BACKBONE of AMERICA.’ “It was a lot of fun and a special memory. It also was a prize winner – first prize in the historical division.”

– Submitted by Kay Wulf, Cheney

Page 23

“Every year we come home to visit family and friends in Wichita for the summer.

Going to the Sedgwick County Fair has always been a yearly tradition for us.

We love so much about the Fair like entering our artwork, food, rides, the petting zoo, and most importantly making wonderful memories with family.”

– Submitted by Dana McCormick, Los Gatos, Calif.

This picture is of Carmen Dibbens, age 3-1/2, and Nichole Butler, 2-1/2, getting ready to ride on a float at the Sedgwick County Fair in crepe paper sunflower costumes.

“The back of the pictures says ‘1948 fair.’ I didn’t think I remembered any events at 3-1/2 but I do remember getting dressed in the costume and waving as we rode down Main Street.”

– Carmen Dibbens Sowers, Cheney

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Page 24

75 years of the Sedgwick County Fair!

Steven F. Twietmeyer, D.D.S. Rebecca L. Twietmeyer, D.D.S. Charles D. Twietmeyer, D.M.D.

Two Locations to Serve You 3920 W. 31st St. S. 107 N. Main

Cheney 316-540-3171

Wichita 316-942-3113

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

Maelyn Loch and Jeremy Herrman share a kiss in this undated photo. The couple met at the Sedgwick County Fair in 2005 and got married at the 2014 Fair.

July 10, 2014 | The Times-Sentinel

Wedding bells to ring at the Sedgwick County Fair B y Tr av i s M o u n t s In addition to the smells of funnel cakes and roasted corn and livestock barns, love will be in the air at this week’s Sedgwick County Fair.

Favorite events such as the Bull Blowout and the Demolition Derby are back, but there will be a new highlight as Maelyn Loch and Jeremy Herrman get married at the Fairgrounds Arena on Friday night during the Bull Blowout. The couple has been living in Derby but just moved to Valley Center.

With a decades-long history, there’s not much that hasn’t happened at least once at the Sedgwick County Fair. But as far as anyone can tell, this will be the first time a couple has tied the knot during the Fair.

“They’re adorable,” Marti Johnson said about the couple. Johnson is the communications director for the Fair and de facto wedding planner.

The couple met on the carnival midway in 2005. She was buying tickets for the Kamikaze ride, and he was with friends who were pushing him to go on the ride.

“I’ll ride that ride if the pretty girl in the pink hat rides with me,” Herrman said. The pretty girl agreed, and a week later they had their first date.

There was talk about performing the ceremony on the midway before the decision was made to wed during the Bull

Blowout.

“I was torn between the Kamikaze and the ‘Circle of Fear’ at the Bull Blowout,” Johnson said. “Pick your metaphor for marriage.”

The wedding party will include about 50 people. The bride will wear white with cowboy boots. The groom will be in western dress clothes.

Loch said she and Herrman knew they wanted to get married this year, but they didn’t have any specific plans. She’s in nursing school right now, so there isn’t a lot of extra money for a big ceremony.

Then last month they got the idea to get married where they met – at the Sedgwick County Fair. Loch said they have been regulars at the Fair since they met. She said they were both country people growing up and they love the atmosphere at the Fair.

“It really reflects who we are and it has a lot of meaning to us. It’s where we met, but it also reflects who we are and the people we hang out with,” Loch said.

“There’s no better place.”

Johnson has offered to help with at least one honeymoon activity.

“If the newlyweds want to come back for the Demolition Derby on Saturday, I will provide the tickets – if they’re not too busy honeymooning,” Johnson said.

The wedding will take place after the mutton busting contest on Friday night.

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

July 19, 2007 | The Times-Sentinel

June 2013 | Sedgwick County Fair Guide

Cheney man thrills crowds at demolition derby

B y C h e l s e a Tw i e t m e y e r The Sedgwick County Fair Demolition Derby drew a sell-out crowd, but there was one Cheney resident who wasn’t sitting in the stands.

Jeremy Meeks was down in the action, and he is no stranger to the derby scene.

“My family’s been doing this since 1978,” said Meeks, who is originally from Abilene, Kan. “I’ve been driving for about nine years, but I have been helping since I was old enough to be in the shop and not get hurt.”

That time came around the fifth grade. Meeks, who has never placed lower than fifth in a derby, shared the arena with his brother Shane, and they ended up tying for first place. This has always been a family affair.

“My mom’s family had 10 kids. There were three girls and seven boys. All seven have run in a derby before,” said Meeks.

Finding a good car is one of the key ingredients to having a good run. Meeks finds a lot of his cars when he is just driving around.

“If I see them, I’ll just stop and pick them up,” he said.

Meeks once hauled a car all the way from South Dakota to Missouri.

The price of the cars he has bought runs anywhere from $125 to $425, though the ones he has could go anywhere from $700 to $1,200 on eBay. About 65 percent of the total cost that goes into fixing up one of his cars is covered by sponsorships.

“I sometimes talk to (sponsors) and some people come to me knowing I’m going to run,” said Meeks. “They know it’s a pretty cheap way to advertise.”

Sponsorships are not just in the form of cash. Meeks had some paint and other parts donated by Farm Supply in exchange for some ad space. Winnings help provide some reimbursement for the cost. Meeks had total winnings of around $3,000 one summer.

Meeks has taken one first place in Columbia, Mo. One thing is for sure, Meeks has a love for what he does.

“It’s an adrenaline rush. It’s fun crashing cars and building them back up,” said Meeks. “It’s something my family has always done and I just really like tinkering with cars.”

Meeks plans on participating in at least five demolition derbies this summer.

His next derby will be Aug. 6-7 in Abilene, and the one after that will be in Salina.

When asked how long he plans to compete he said “until I can’t do it anymore.”

75 Years of Good Memories!

19223 K-42 Hwy., Viola

(620) 545-7133

Page 25

‘Brown Clown’ excited to return to Fair

By Michael Buhler Brian White’s journey has taken him from Oklahoma City to central Kansas and back, and from being a bull rider to a bullfighter – but he always enjoys the trip to the Sedgwick County Fair.

“I love it,” White said. “I’ve been here many years and I have more fun there than any place I go because I know so many people. I may not know them personally, but I see them every year. You remember faces even if you don’t remember names.”

White, called the Brown Clown since he is one of the few African-American bullfighters (also known as rodeo clowns) on the rodeo circuit, grew up riding bulls in Oklahoma City before heading to Bethany College in Lindsborg to play football and run track. White was part of a 4x400-meter relay team that set a school record in 1986, a record that still stands 27 years later.

After college, White settled down and got married, working first in Beloit as a youth services specialist for the state of Kansas, then as a sports program specialist for the city of Salina’s parks and recreation department starting in the spring of 1994.

Shortly after that, fate stepped in when White attended his first rodeo in five years.

“I went to a rodeo at Brookville on Labor Day back in 1994,” White said. “A friend named Danny Munsell was fighting bulls and broke his ankle, so I got drafted into action.”

That prompted White to return to the rodeo ring as a bullfighter. After struggling to land a position as one, White joined up

Remembering our Fair history, we are proud of the Ninnescah Valley 4-H Club!

Remembering the Fair!

Wulf-Ast Mortuar y Garden Plain 316-535-2211

Mt. Hope 316-667-2351

Colwich 316-796-0894

with Lial Dodge in Kingman. White said that he owes Dodge a lot for giving him a chance.

“When I rode bulls, I had to psych myself up to ride one bull,” White said. “As a bullfighter, I have to mess with every one of them every day – but I feel more in control than when I was a bull rider since I’m already on the ground. It’s dangerous, but you do have some control over what happens.”

Bullfighting is more than just protecting bull riders and keeping bulls in line. One of the reasons that bullfighters are known as rodeo clowns is because a lot of their job is entertaining the crowd.

“I don’t really keep a script,” White said. “I just make stuff up. It helps keep it fresh for me. It’s great making people laugh and having people come up to you later and tell you they enjoyed watching you.”

White tells about when his second-grade teacher (Ms. Sidney Hill) told him that he would never get anywhere in life acting like a clown.

“I wish I could dig her up now and tell her she was wrong.

You actually make friends with the people.

It keeps you on your toes, too.”

MEMBER

FDIC ®

741 N. Fourth • Clearwater

620-584-5000

Page 26

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

July 13, 2017 | The Times-Sentinel

Back to the start: Couple returns to Fair to celebrate golden anniversary

By Sam Jack With their 50th wedding anniversary approaching, Allan and Jeannette Richardson returned last week to the place where they first met: the Sedgwick County Fair.

The pair met on the Ferris wheel at the 1965 Fair.

“We just got to thinking about our 50th, and I thought, ‘It’d be nice to go back and relive some of the things that we did, that we can relive,’” Jeannette said. “This was the first thing on the list.”

Allan was born and raised in Cheney. His parents ran the One Stop Service station on Main Street for more than 50 years.

Jeannette lived in Derby, where the Richardsons currently make their home. She came out to the Fair on a date with Jerry Parks, who was and is a friend of Allan’s.

“He said, ‘I’ve got this girl I want

you to see.’ He wanted to show off that he knew this girl,” Allan said.

The three of them ended up sitting together on the Ferris wheel.

“The funny thing about that is that it was a quarter to ride, and he paid her way,” Allan said. “So she wouldn’t sit in the middle, because he paid.”

Despite the physical separation, the pair felt an instant connection, they said. Jeannette was 17 at the time, while Allan was 16.

“As we were riding on the Ferris wheel, he was trying to think of a way to end up with me, and I was trying to come up with a plan to end up with him,” Jeannette said.

Rides on the Tilt-A-Whirl and Salt and Pepper Shakers followed that day.

The two dated steadily through the rest of high school.

Their wedding day, Sept. 2, 1967, was the very day of Allan’s 18th birthday.

“We felt like it was right,” Allan said.

After marrying, they made their first home in Cheney. Allan worked at the Dewey IGA and later Cheney Electric, while Jeannette was a beautician and cosmetologist at Clip and Curl.

In 1976, two years after Allan started working for Cessna, they moved to Derby. Allan retired from Cessna in 2010, and Jeannette is also retired.

They have two children: son, Jeff Richardson lives in Garden Plain, while daughter Adrienne Terrell lives nearby in Derby. They also have eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

It was meaningful to return to the Fair, after quite a few years hiatus, to see what has changed and what has not in the years since they met, Jeannette said.

“It doesn’t seem like 50 years,” she said. “It just seems like it went by so fast. It went by very fast.”

Jeannette and Allan Richardson first met in 1965 at the Sedgwick County Fair. They rode the Ferris wheel together, sparking an instant attraction. They returned to the 2017 Fair to celebrate 50 years of marriage.

Times-Sentinel Newspapers

75 Fairs | History of the Sedgwick County Fair

Page 27

The first Fair These images are from the Cheney Sentinel.

Above is the story announcing the dates of the very first Sedgwick County Fair in 1940, the first of 75 Fairs held between 1940 and 2019. After just two years, the Fair was put on hold for five years because of World War II. The Fair then ran uninterrupted from 1947 until this year, 2020, when the coronavirus outbreak led to the cancellation of the Fair and many other events around the country.

RIGHT: A Sentinel ad promoting the Fair.

FAR RIGHT: The program for the inaugural Sedgwick County Fair.

Valley Windmill New and Used Windmills Sales, Service & Repair

316-680-8622 Wally

Owner/Operator

Valley Center, Kansas

Proud Supporter of the Sedgwick County Fair!

Tri-County Electric Corp.

115 W. Ross • Clearwater

620-584-6454

Buy • Sell • Trade

Car Haulers • Utilities • Flatbeds Goosenecks • Customs & Repairs

Rick & Jean Horsch

www.horschtrailers.com

(620) 545-7292 6901 S. 183rd W. Viola, KS 67149

Main Street Cheney, 1907.

Citizens State Bank building (now Cheney Public Library) is in the foreground.

Current Citizens State Bank building.

ABOVE: Ground breaking for the bank building, 1972.

...Your Community-Minded Bank!

Personal service is our cornerstone.

We have a tradition of working with – and knowing – our customers.

We’ve been a part of the Cheney Community

for 136 years...

...and a part of the Sedgwick County Fair since its inception.

While we won’t be together to celebrate the Fair this year, we look forward to the Fair’s return next year!

Mobile Banking App Online Banking · Bill Pay Options · Online Statements

Home Loans

· Construction Loans · Permanent Financing · Local Servicing

306 N. Main Cheney, KS 67025

316-542-3142 www.csbcheneyks.com Member

FDIC ®