Baked Potatoes, Baseball, Horseshoes
Were Features of Early Fairs Here
, It’s fair time again! The fun
of last year’s has hardly faded.
The years pass quickly and
things change—the fair, for
instance. A long time resident
told of an early fair when the
livestock show consisted of one
cow. She said that hot, baked
Matanuska potatoes with huge
chunks of butter were passed
around to fair visitors in years
past when the crowds were
smaller.
What were the featured
events and displays of other
fairs? An example could be
the fair program of 1951. That
year there were the fair ex
"TIGHTROPE" STAR
APPEARED HERE
Mike Connors. CBS televi
sion star of “Tightrope” was a
big attraction at the 1960 Alas
ka State Fair, Inc.
After his arrival on Satur
day, September 3. Connors
made public appearances in
the Saturday morning parade,
and at the Coronation Ball
where he crowmed Sara Mof
fitt as Miss Matanuska Valley.
In addition he performed
twice daily in the afternoon
and evening grandstand shows ,
for the three days of his stay. 1
hibits, the livestock judging,
and the carnival, which are
still a principle part of today’s
fair.
Sports were important and
baseball was king. There were
little league, junior, and senior
high games (between Palmer
and Anchorage schools), and
one game featured as Palmer
vs. Army. Bicycle races, foot
races, horse shoe pitching, and
a tug of war (farmers vs. min
ers) were all part of the fes
tivities.
The 4-H'ers were just as ac
tive as the present groups, fill
ing two afternoons with dem
onstrations. The Grange took
part by serving a noon dinner
on one of the fair days.
The featured attraction of
the 1951 fair was an air show
at the Palmer airport present
ed by Jack London and fliers.
And, of course, the Corona
tion of the Queen of the fair.
The “Beauty Queen Dance” be
gan at 9:30 and that year Joyce
Hardage, now Mrs. Bud Billot,
was named queen at midnight.
Another dance was held Labor
Day, and 18 prizes ranging
from a $500 deep freeze to $10
in merchandise were given
away at the annual raffle,
which closed the fair.
FAIR TIME IS HARVEST TIME. Forage crops, above, lie curing
in the field. Pioneer Peak, in the background, is an ex
ample of Alaska's scenery.
State Fair Winner Miss Alaska
MISS COLLEEN KENDALL, 1962 Alaska Stair Fair Queen and
her royal attendants are shown as they reigned over the
fair. Miss Kendall went on to win Miss Alaska and has
toured many parts of the U.S. during her official reign.
Juneau, Oregon. Minnesota,
Vermont, Washington, D. C.,
and Atlantic City. New Jersey
are all places that Colleen Ken
dall, Miss Alaska State Fair of
1962. and Miss Alaska of 1963,
has been, and will be visiting
this summer.
After being chosen Miss Al
aska State Fair last Septem
ber, Colleen was then eligible
for the Miss Alaska pageant
held in February of this year.
Her talent, a musical comedy
| number from “Oklahoma”,
combined with her poise in the
bathing suit and ballgown
catagories won Miss Kendall
both titles, and the $1000
scholarships. Colleen is an all
A junior English major at Al
aska Methodist University in
Anchorage. She has also at
tended the University of Ore
gon.
Colleen's summei has been
FAIR BOARD HAS TWO NEW MEMBERS
Two new members have
joined the Board of Directors
of 1963 Alaska State Fair. Mrs.
Marne Hanks has replaced Mrs.
Hazel Harris as secretary of
the board. The Harris family
moved to Seattle earlier this
summer. Harold Newcomb is
the other new director.
Other members of the board
include Dr. Curtis Dearborn,
president; L. F. (Joe) Martin,
vice president; Virgil Eckert,
treasurer; Bill Hoskins, direc
tor. and Mrs. Katy Fuelner of
Anchorage, director.
Mrs. Barbara Hamilton is of
fice secretary for the fair
filled with travel. She was
invited to Juneau for the sel
ection of Miss Juneau. In addi
tion to this invitation three
other states, Oregon. Vermont,
and Minnesota asked her to at
tend their preliminary Miss
America pageants. When she
goes east for the Atlantic City
pageant, Colleen will be Sena
tor Gruening’s guest in Wash
ington. D. C.
Miss Kendall’s parents are
Mr. and Mrs. Sherrod H. Ken
dall of Anchorage. Greater
Anchorage Inc., and Cordova
Airlines are her sponsors.
SNIDERS TO BE
HOST, HOSTESS
Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit “Heinie''
Snider, the official host and
hostess for the 1963 Alaska
State Fair, have a busy week
end ahead.
Their duties will include ap
pearances and participation in
many of the scheduled events.
They will be on hand to greet
visitors and make them feel
welcome to the valley and the
fair program.
The Sniders are weil suited
to their duties, as both are
long time Alaskan residents.
Heinie has been in the state 54
years and his wife Alice, 48.
After their marriage in
Spokane, Wash, in 1915, the
Sniders came to Anchorage.
Their first Alaskan winter was
spent in a tent in what is now
the railroad and warehouse
district of Anchorage. About
1920 Heinie was made station
master at Pittman, and the
Wasilla area has become their
most permanent Alaska home
Heinie and Alice now live in a
showplace home on Lake Lu
cille near Wasilla.
Heinie has been an Alaska
Railroad employee, Alaska
Road Commission foreman, a
prospector and miner in the
Willow creek area, a min'v
farmer, and an Alaska territor
ial senator and representative
Since “retirement” he has
written his book. So Was Al
aska, built his i^ake J_.uciiie
home,and advertised Alaska by
accepting a job as an informa
tional aide at the Alaska ex
hibit at Seattle’s Century 21 in
1962.
The Sniders have four chil
dren and 13 grandchildren, ail
of them Alaskans.
FAIR WINS GRAND
PRIZE OF FREEZER
This year’s fair season began
with luck when the Alaska
State Fair, Inc. won the grand
prize, a 21-cubic foot freezer,
at the 1963 Matanuska Electric
Association annual meeting.
Dr. Curtis Dearborn, fair board
president, held the winning
ticket.
JOIN THE FEN AT THE
ALASKA STATE FAIR 4 BIG DAYS
AUG. 30-31-SEPT. 1-2
ADMISSIONS:
Adults_$1.50
Children _75c
Under 12
Children - Pre-school_Free
Accompanied by parent
SEASON TICKETS:
Adult _$3.50
Children _ 2.00
Due to conditions beyond our control, the Alaska
State Fair, Inc., will not be responsible for person
al injuries, accidents, or losses sustained by
visitors, exhibitors, or paid admission on the
Fairgrounds.
"Alaska on the Go"
• EXHIBITS
• PRIZES
• AWARDS
• GRANDSTAND
EVENTS
• MIDWAY
• HORSE RACES
• FIREWORKS
• NORSE SHOW
DRAWINGS HELD TO PICK
'THE MONEY
$ TREE $
FOR '63"
_
**************...