Nuckolls County held two fairs in 1952. This picture shows the crowd gathered in Superior near the Union Hotel - now the Superior Commodity Shop.
John Sullivan, Superior, showed the breed champion Holstein at the 1952 Nuckolls County Fair.
Charles Mumma, Nelson, showed this prize winning sheep at the 1952 Nuckolls County Fair.
Lora Biltoft (left) and Joanne Jensby model the top place dresses shown at the 1952 Nuckolls County Fair in Superior. Biltoft wears a middle unit school dress and Jensby a dress-up purple she modeled at the Nebraska State Fair in Lincoln.
The Superior Kiwanis Club presented an award to the outstanding 4-H boy and girl at the 1952 Nuckolls County Fair. Winning the award s were Charles Mumma, Nelson, and Rose Gharring, Superior.
As strange and unusual as it was, the recently completed Nuckolls County Fair is probably not the strangest fair in Nuckolls County history. The strangest title is probably still safe with the 1952 fair. This was the year Nuckolls County held two fairs. The three-day long Nuckolls County 4-H and FFA Fair was held in Superior during the first week of August. The Nuckolls County Fair was held about two weeks later on the fairgrounds south of Nelson. Only exhibits that placed at Nelson were eligible for the Ak-Sar-Ben competition.
For the fair held in Superior, large tents were erected north of the North Western Depot to house the livestock. Home economics exhibits were in the former Debus Bakery building at Second and Commercial. Grandstand shows were presented the last two nights of the fair at the Lincoln Park baseball field. On opening night, The Superior City Band presented a concert from a stage erected south of the Union Hotel. Movie matinees were shown two afternoons at the new Crest Theatre.
The livestock sale was held at the east sale barn. Concession stands were placed along the north side of Second Street between Central and Commercial. Demonstrations were presented in the Superior City Auditorium.
There was a tent with commercial exhibits and Superior stores had merchandise specials throughout the fair.
About two weeks later, the 77th annual Nuckolls County Fair was held on the fairgrounds south of Nelson. The first afternoon was devoted to the 4-H Clubs and included exhibits, demonstrations and a livestock parade. On opening night a horse show was held in front of the grandstand.
On the second day, the main afternoon event was hot rod races. That evening featured a thrill show with the promise that several locally purchased vehicles would be "thoroughly wrecked."
The final day of the fair featured an R.C.A. sanctioned rodeo throughout the afternoon and evening. Each of the fair's three days concluded with a dance.
Gate admission to the fairgrounds was free.
This year because of the pandemic, there were no foodstands, open class or commercial exhits and and no grandstand shows. Access to the fair was restricted.
Spectators were not allowed on the grounds and and exhibitors had to follow rules as to when they could be on the fairgrounds and what they could do while there.
The Express plans to publish fair results and an ongoing feature about the county's 4-H families but since we did not have a photographer on the grounds we will not publish as many pictures as usual. This issue of The Express contains photos taken by Leon Mariska at the 1952 fair held in Superior.
Reader Comments(0)