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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Friday, July 25, 2008 4:13 PM CDT
OUR VIEW: Tradition-rich county fair here again

By the JG/T-C Editorial Board
editorial@jg-tc.com

A county fair that is 154 years old obviously is steeped in tradition.

The Coles County Fair is billed as Illinois’ oldest continuous county fair.

The tradition also is apparent in some of the activities at the fair.

Last year marked the 50th anniversary of the Coles County 4-H livestock auction.

This year, the queen pageant marks its 50th year at the Coles County Fair.

Tradition.

The first queen and a number of the other past queens have indicated they will attend this year’s fair.

The Coles County Fairgrounds survived the terrible tornado of 1917 and had been in service for several years when rising politician Abraham Lincoln and Sen. Stephen Douglas met in the fourth of their seven landmark debates in 1858.

The tradition-rich fairgrounds will be the site of the 150th anniversary of those debates later this year.

Another tradition of the Coles County Fair is its emphasis on children and families.

Much of the fair is aimed at young people — 4-H members and others who raise livestock or try their hands at general projects.

Families have gathered at the fair for generations and continue to gather to be entertained, to showcase their projects, to compete and to learn. Young people from all over the county have been working on projects like honey production, electricity, photography, woodworking, pet care, child care, ceramics, arts and crafts and more.

There are hundreds of “winners” among 4-H members each year. They win ribbons and trophies for general projects and livestock, with many advancing to the Illinois State Fair in Springfield to see how they compare with young people’s projects from all over the state.

No less a county fair fan than former Gov. Jim Edgar attended almost every Coles County Fair in his hometown of Charleston until after he left the governor’s office in 1998.

“The county fair really is a part of our culture here in Illinois, maybe more than in any other state,” he once said.

In decades past, the majority of Coles County residents were engaged in some enterprise that was related to agriculture. That may not be the case in the 21st century as the 2000 census noted that just 523 people in Coles County listed farming as their prime occupation. That’s a drop of 29 percent from 1990. For many of us, then, the county fair is our only link to the area’s ag heritage.

It’s a link to the old interurban transportation system that joined the “far-off” cities of Charleston and Mattoon at the beginning of the 20th century. And it’s a link to the days of Chautauqua when folks came for days to hear messages of inspiration and to share friendship.

County fairs have a lot more competition for your attention than did those early fairs back in 1854, or even in 1958. We have grown accustomed to spectacular entertainment, from TV and movies to nearby theme parks like Six Flags with their dazzling rides.

But the county fair also is...

- corn dogs, cotton candy, lemon shake-ups and taffy...

- the Ferris wheel, the merry-go-round and winning a prize in a game of skill for that special someone...

- boys and girls grooming their animals in the livestock barns...

- loud tractors belching smoke and smashed cars trying to survive the demolition derby...proud folks displaying their garden tomatoes and green beans, their needlework and their rolls, cakes and canned goods...

-- children screaming in terror on a twisting, soaring carnival ride and then begging to ride it again...

The Coles County Fair has survived by combining tradition with new activities.

So we’ll repeat the refrain heard here for 154 years now: “See you at the fair.”

JG/T-C Editorial Board

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Harry Potter wrote on Jul 27, 2008 9:01 AM:

" The best kept secret about this fair is that it is a privately owned operation and it's purpose is to make money for a few individuals.

Just like with the mall, the swimming pool and the movie theatres, it does make a convenient place for irresponsible parents to drop their kids off. "

Equalizer wrote on Jul 28, 2008 12:17 AM:

" HP, how do you know? "

Harry Potter wrote on Jul 28, 2008 7:28 AM:

" How do I know what? If you're asking about the ownership comment, it's a matter of public record. You obviously don't know how to access public records.

Learn to do that and you will find some very interesting things go on in Coles county.

And if you don't know about the second part, you must never go anywhere, or you wouldn't be asking.

I hope I explained this well enough for you. "

Late Bird wrote on Jul 28, 2008 7:35 AM:

" How does anybody know anything?
They believe that they know.
There are no atheists then, ha. "

Dagny Taggart wrote on Jul 28, 2008 9:03 AM:

" HP - You say the fair is privately-owned that makes money for a few individuals (i.e., investors), and I say that's the best news I've heard in weeks!

No wonder it's a hit every year.

Your piece of gossip has raised the fair in my mind to one of the best places to spend money on fattening but yummy fair food, and nauseating but fun fair rides. I am so there!!! "

CHILL! wrote on Jul 28, 2008 12:10 PM:

" Laughing @ Dagny Taggart! "

Billie Brant wrote on Jul 28, 2008 2:57 PM:

" Pronto Pups, Vinegar Fries, and one of Big Al's Shake-ups! Doesn't get any better than that once a year!

I wait until the sun goes down and it cools off though! Too hot for this old gal! LOL!

Maybe tomorrow. "

HisChild wrote on Jul 28, 2008 3:32 PM:

" Heya Billie!

http://tinyurl.com/625p6u "

eugene wrote on Jul 28, 2008 9:34 PM:

" So HP,do the Baldwins own it or the Johns ? "

Harry Potter wrote on Jul 29, 2008 7:08 AM:

" Do your own homework, eugene. As I stated earlier, it's a matter of public record. I don't do research methods on here. LOL! "

Charlie Watts wrote on Jul 29, 2008 7:50 AM:

" Billy, no mention of Crazy Ball? A Pronto Pup in one hand, a Lemon Shakeup in the other, and a pocket full of quarters, and a big rubber ball. How many years have I been in that pose?

By the way Harry, my irresponsible parents never had to drop me off at the fair when I was growing up, but they did have come drag me out of it a few times before I turned into a Carny. Some of the best memories of my youth. "

Billie Brant wrote on Jul 29, 2008 9:04 AM:

" Hi Charlie! Long time no see. Due to the fact that I've boxed up a bunch of stuffed animals to be sold in anticipation of my move, I won't be playing Crazy Ball this year! LOL!

I have the most fun eating the "should be forbidden" foods and sitting on one of the benches or walking around and engaging in "people watching". That's entertainment! :-)

While I try to eat healthy most of the time, I fall off the wagon at the fair! Can't resist, nor do I want to that wonderful stuff! "

princess71 wrote on Jul 29, 2008 9:26 AM:

" All you really need to do to answer some of these questions is look at the livestock show winners or they parents/grandparents. "

Charlie Watts wrote on Jul 29, 2008 11:23 AM:

" Billie, remember you can always fall off the wagon again at the Sandwich fair in September, some of the same vendors go there and many more. The last fair of the season and they do it right.

And princess71, that isn't an inbreading comment is it? "

The Curious wrote on Jul 29, 2008 4:35 PM:

" HisChild wrote on Jul 28, 2008 3:32 PM:
" Heya Billie!

http://tinyurl.com/625p6u "

Hahahahaha....Heya HisChild!
How many have you eaten? "

medic57 wrote on Jul 29, 2008 5:46 PM:

" Another tradition of the Coles County Fair is its emphasis on children and families.

Yeah, getting as much money as possible out of them. "

HerChild wrote on Jul 30, 2008 1:02 AM:

" Billie Brant wrote on Jul 28, 2008 2:57 PM:
" Pronto Pups, Vinegar Fries, and one of Big Al's Shake-ups! Doesn't get any better than that once a year!

I wait until the sun goes down and it cools off though! Too hot for this old gal! LOL!

Maybe tomorrow. "

What are pronto pups? "

tammer65 wrote on Jul 30, 2008 12:03 PM:

" Pronto pups are a more colorful name for corn dogs. "

Charlie Watts wrote on Jul 30, 2008 12:22 PM:

" Pronto Pups are the anti Corn Dog. "

Billie Brant wrote on Jul 30, 2008 1:29 PM:

" Corn dogs HisChild. The originals were called Pronto Pups. It was a brand name.

Everyone started getting in on the act, but probably couldn't call them Pronto Pups, so Corn Dogs came into being. "

The Curious wrote on Jul 30, 2008 1:48 PM:

" I still question that myself!
http://tinyurl.com/6lxsy2 "

Charlie Watts wrote on Jul 30, 2008 2:50 PM:

" Also Pronto Pups use wheat for breading, while Corn Dogs use corn meal. Makes all the difference. "

Billie Brant wrote on Jul 30, 2008 3:08 PM:

" I stand corrected Charlie. :-) "

pj1983 wrote on Jul 30, 2008 3:40 PM:

" i thought they were the same thing too...i think it's a generational thing. i used to work food service and the first time i was asked for a "pronto pup" i must have had the strangest look on my face. over time i noticed it was mostly the older crowd calling them that. "

pj1983 wrote on Jul 30, 2008 3:42 PM:

" wikipedia says.....There is some debate as to the exact origins of the corn dog. An article in The New York Times made reference to "corn dog" stands as early as 1941.[1] In 300 Years of Kitchen Collectibles, author Linda Campbell Franklin states that a "Krusty Korn Dog baker" machine appeared in the 1929 Albert Pick-L. Barth wholesale catalog of hotel and restaurant supplies. The 'korn dogs' were baked in a corn batter and resembled ears of corn when cooked.[2]

A number of current corn dog vendors lay claim to the invention and/or popularization of the corn dog. Carl and Neil Fletcher introduced their "Corny Dogs" at the Texas State Fair sometime between 1938 and 1942.[2] The Pronto Pup vendors at the Minnesota State Fair claim to have invented the corn dog in 1941.[2][3] Cozy Dog Drive-in, in Springfield, IL, claims to have been the first to serve corn dogs on sticks, in 1946.[4] Also in 1946, Dave Barham opened the first location of Hot Dog on a Stick at Muscle Beach, Santa Monica, California.[5] "

tammer65 wrote on Jul 30, 2008 4:46 PM:

" Charlie Watts, interesting. But all the Pronto Pups I've ever had have had a corn flavoring. How come? "

Billie Brant wrote on Jul 30, 2008 5:01 PM:

" Now I am confused. I thought Pronto Pups had a cornbread flavor too tammer.Maybe my tastebuds were corny. :-) "

tammer65 wrote on Jul 30, 2008 5:25 PM:

" Billie, I've been accused of being corny, period! LOL! Oh well, whatever you call them, they sure taste good! I haven't made it to the fair yet this year, but I need to -- you can't get corndogs/pronto pups like that anywhere else! My doctor wouldn't approve, but I can be good next week! :)

Mostly, I'm just hanging out on this thread because the other ones have gotten so ridiculous with the name game nonsense! "

Billie Brant wrote on Jul 30, 2008 7:02 PM:

" Yeah tammer! I hear ya! LOL!

I'll be lucky to get out to the fair to get my "pup", fries and lemon shake-up this year with this dratted move staring me in the face.

Maybe someone will take pity on me and bring all that good stuff to me!:-) "

Equalizer wrote on Jul 30, 2008 7:16 PM:

" It sure looks like you're putting your share into that still too LOL! "

Equalizer wrote on Jul 30, 2008 7:18 PM:

" The Curious wrote on Jul 30, 2008 1:48 PM:
" I still question that myself!
http://tinyurl.com/6lxsy2 "

That explains it a bit LOL! "

pj1983 wrote on Jul 30, 2008 7:55 PM:

" also from wikipedia:

Pronto Pups are a brand of corn dog which have been sold at the Minnesota State Fair, other state fairs, and events throughout the country since 1941.

Pronto Pups are different from regular corn dogs because the batter contains a blend of several different flours to create its widely popular taste. The dogs are hand-dipped and fried on location. The Pronto Pup company claims to have invented the corn dog in 1941. "

tammer65 wrote on Jul 30, 2008 8:08 PM:

" Billie, moving?? Always a hassle! Moving away, or just from the place in the country? At any rate, hope you'll still visit with us on this site, from wherever you are! "

Billie Brant wrote on Jul 30, 2008 8:57 PM:

" tammer, I'm just moving into town. This place is just too big and too much to handle alone anymore. The kids help when they can, and I've had wonderful help from friends but they have their own places to attend to also. So, it's time to go on to the next phase of my life.

I'll be posting when the spirit moves me once I get my computer up and running after I move.

Thanks tammer. "

tammer65 wrote on Jul 30, 2008 9:06 PM:

" You betcha, Billie. Good luck in the new place -- you'll be a true "townie." Just remember that memories come with you no matter where you are. (And you don't even have to put them in a box like all the rest of your stuff -- thank goodness!) "

tammer65 wrote on Jul 30, 2008 9:18 PM:

" Billie, that last post didn't come out the way I wanted it to. I just meant that, well, it must be kinda hard to move, too, even though it's necessary; you and Toby had a lot of good years at your cabin. But memories don't stay with a particular place -- we get to keep them and bring them along with us wherever we go. Hope you enjoy the move and your new home, where you'll get to add many new and wonderful things to your memory collection, too! "

cd wrote on Jul 30, 2008 9:43 PM:

" The Coles County Fair and rain. Can't seem to have the Fair without the rain. "

Equalizer wrote on Jul 30, 2008 10:05 PM:

" The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain.

The rain don't care...falls mainly during the Fair! "

Rotty wrote on Jul 30, 2008 10:13 PM:

" Good one, Equalizer!
LOL! "

Billie Brant wrote on Jul 30, 2008 10:21 PM:

" Yep tammer. Memories will go with me. I'll still visit the old homestead. Daughter, son-in-lw and Little Toby will be enjoying it.

I'll still be able to feel Toby lurking around the corners out there when i come to visit, trying to figure out which practical joke to pull next LOL! Boy, did he pull them on us too! He delighted in them! Once in awhile we could "get " him back and he laughed just as heartily! More often than not though WE were on the receiving end! LOL!

Placing a skeleton I had borrowed for a prop in a play I was in on the toilet seat to scare his daughter (about 16 at the time) out of her wits was a classic Toby prank!

About 3 in the morning, every morninng, she would go into the bathroom. He put the skeleton on the toilet seat with his head resting in his hand. His hand was propped up on the sink. Sure enough, here she came, and flipped on the light AND then she flipped out!She let out a scream that could have raised the dead! Pun intended! LOL! As soon as she caught her breath, the next sound was a loud "DAD"!!!!!!!! She knew who the guilty party was!

He could hardly contain himself until the time for her to innocently walk into the bathroom. Being the "night owl" he was, staying awake wasn't the problem. He kept looking at the clock as if he could push the time up quicker! LOL!

I told him not to do it, and you see how far I got! LOL!

He was a hoot! that's just a small sample.

I still haven't gotten around to writing down all those funny stories of things he did. Some are hilarious! Some may have to have at least a PG13 or higher rating though! LOL!

I'll have more time to write since I won't have all the work to keep up with like I did here. It would make a good winter project.

Lots of memories? Yes tammer, I have many. "

The Curious wrote on Jul 30, 2008 10:33 PM:

" LOL! I've heard this expression a lot in my time.

Fair to partly cloudy....hmmmm.... "

tammer65 wrote on Jul 30, 2008 10:43 PM:

" It's good that you'll still have the physical place to revisit, too, whenever you want -- the best of both worlds!

You really should write down those funny stories, though, and share them with the rest of the world! "

The Curious wrote on Jul 30, 2008 10:54 PM:

" God bless ya Bille! "

CHILL! wrote on Jul 30, 2008 11:04 PM:

" It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring! LOL! How many days of the Coles county fair does it usually rain? "

CHILL! wrote on Jul 30, 2008 11:05 PM:

" Billie, I am sure he is smiling as you remember him with such love. :) "

Billie Brant wrote on Jul 31, 2008 2:40 PM:

" Yes Chill, I remember him putting on his best "poor me" face and getting me to treck out to the fair late at night because he was "a-hone-in and a-pine-in " for a pronto pup ! He was so good at putting on the "disappointed little boy" look it cracked me up. He wouldn't have let up, so I went!

It could get loud around here too! LOL! "

Rotty wrote on Aug 1, 2008 12:46 AM:

" Excellant story, Billie!
LMAO!
I'm with Tammer, write a book & share'em!
LOL! "

The Cleveland Steamer wrote on Aug 2, 2008 8:40 AM:

" In my vague recollection, in decades past, the majority of Coles County residents were engaged in some enterprise that was related to agriculture, but that is not be the case in the 21st century as the 2000 census noted that just 523 people in Coles County listed farming as their prime occupation for a drop of 29 percent from 1990. "

sapient wrote on Aug 2, 2008 9:58 AM:

" HP: That's called free enterprise. I suppose you think everything should be run by the government. Socialism, which is what we will have if Obama gets his way. If you don't like the fair don't go. "

lisaj12 wrote on Aug 2, 2008 9:51 PM:

" From somebody who was born and raised in Charleston and now lives away I really miss the Coles County fair. I miss walking the midway and seeing familiar faces. I have yet to find lemon shake ups or pronto pups that even compare any where else. I will always remember playing crazy ball too. I remember when it was just a dime! Good memories, great town. I miss it. "

princess71 wrote on Aug 4, 2008 7:52 AM:

" Charlie Watts in response to your question.....no...just stating that if you want to know who "owns" the fair just check out who wins the livestock auctions. "

Charlie Watts wrote on Aug 4, 2008 4:38 PM:

" No problem princess, my comment towards you was more tongue in cheek than anything else.

Some things I want to get off my chest any maybe someone in charge of the fair would like to address them.

What happened to all the vendors that used to be there, I was only able to get there this last weekend for the end, but there seemed to be more vacant areas than I ever remember before. And NO ice cream, its the first of August in central Illinois for xxx sake. Also I know Saturday night was the last night for this, but isnt 8 oclock a little early to be closing up some of the rides, especially when people are still in line for them? And I guess local kids wanting to make a few extra bucks during the week are out also?

But what do I know, I can still remember the square being a place to socialize on a Friday or Saturday night. "