Scott County Fair

Long before the Scott County Fair was known with its modern name, it was first known as the Scott County Agricultural Fair. The very first Scott County Agricultural Fair took place in Shakopee in 1857. As the name suggests, the fair featured items concerning agriculture and livestock, hosting the displays in various buildings. The first Scott County Agricultural Society was formed in 1872, and the Shakopee Mirror stated, “At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Scott County Agricultural Society it was determined to hold a county fair on the 7th and 8th of October, at Shakopee or Jordan, …” In September of 1872, the Mirror reported that the Scott County Fair would take place in Shakopee, and a premium list was published. In 1873, the Scott County Agricultural Society searched for sponsors to pay the fair’s premiums, hoping for “political farmers” to give large sums of money. Again, Shakopee hosted the fair on Oct. 3-4, 1873. The fair was moved to Jordan in 1873 and Belle Plaine in 1875. In 1875, the citizens of Belle Plaine sponsored the Scott County Fair . The Shakopee Argus stated that the object of the fair was to “advance the industrial interests of Scott County by encouraging the exhibition of products of all branches of industry.” Also in 1875, horse races at the Scott County Fair were first mentioned, saying the course is “superior to any other one in the county”. According to the Shakopee Argus, the fair was a huge success in 1875, as it made front page news with its displays and large attendance. In 1883, the Ag. Society began looking for a permanent site for the Scott County Fair and raising premiums and held its first fair in Shakopee. In August of 1884, the Ag. Society signed a three year lease for 20 acres east of Shakopee. By the Scott County Fair in October, they laid a half-mile track, an eight foot fence, and multiple buildings. The next couple of Scott County Fairs included a Firemen’s Parade, balloon ascension, bicycle races, and speeches. In 1887, the Ag. Society hosted a Farmer’s Institute the same dates as the fair. There is no record of a fair occurring in 1888 or 1889. After the decline of the county fair in the late 1880s, there was no mention of a county fair again until 1897. Throughout the early 1890s, local newspapers only referenced the Minnesota State Fair, the Carver County Fair, and a stock fair. In 1897, the Shakopee Courier announced a street fair that included a bicycle race, concerts, premium listing, and shooting matches. Although the Shakopee Courier made known the difference between a Scott County Fair and a street fair in their first advertisement, their second used them interchangeably stating that this was the first County Fair of its kind. It is likely that the street fair took the place of the county fair for this time period and that many people still considered it the county fair. Popular components of the street fairs included bicycle races, parades, and live music. From this early history, we have found that fairs had the primary goal of promoting agriculture and industry, and were held for just a couple of days in the early fall. Also, the Scott County Fair did not have one clear location: it took place in Shakopee, Jordan, and Belle Plaine. The fair depended on sponsorships from its citizens rather than businesses or a government entity. Many exhibit categories mirror those of today, which included bread, livestock, and vegetables; but it also included boots, wagons, and woolen blankets, which we do not have as exhibits today.