These stories can also be heard on Sunday mornings around 10 am on WILD 102’s “Look Back in Time” program. Each week’s radio story will be posted here on our website.
Weekly radio stories are researched, compiled, and read by Sheila Winstead, RCHS Board Member.
July 28, 2024
I hope you had a chance to attend the Roseau County Fair this past week. It’s a great place to see
old friends, get entertained by grandstand acts and small stage performers, visit exhibits, eat
unusual foods, enjoy the animals all cleaned up for the fair, and see the talents displayed from
contributors who’ve grown vegetables, flowers, and crops, created quilts and handiwork, baked,
canned, and cooked, and created all types of art that they work on throughout the year. There
are so many talented people in Roseau County.
In 1994, Roseau County Historical Society published a book commemorating the County’s Centennial in
1995. Buddy Magnusson was the fair Board Secretary at that time and wrote a story for the book about
the beginnings of our Roseau County Fair. I’ll read that story today.
The Roseau County Agricultural Society (fair) was an idea as early as the county was established. The
incorporation was established in 1904 for the purpose of improving livestock – fowl – farm products and
mechanical arts. The first fair was held in 1906 in the open field north of the Center Street stop light in
Roseau. It was obviously held in this area for several years. Early pictures of the fair note everyone
dressed for the occasion in suits, hats and fine dresses. In the early days the event was a one-day affair.
In 1909 the fair was held over three days, September 15 thru 17. That year the board also borrowed
$1000 to purchase land, build fences, lay out racetrack, construct an exhibit hall, horse barn, cattle shed
and ticket booth. $356.25 were the total receipts that year and the secretary had to borrow $268.83 to
cover premiums and debts not covered by the money taken in from the horse races. A hot air balloonist
performed that year for $50.00 and after reaching a certain height above the fairgrounds he jumped
out, much to the horror of those watching, but opened a parachute and landed safely.
Four years after the first fair buildings were built, a fierce summer storm blew all the buildings down at
the fairgrounds only two weeks before the fair was to be held and the fair was cancelled for that year.
The only other time the fair was cancelled was in 1943. The board felt it wouldn’t be proper to hold the
fair with all the world strife of the Second World War and all the men away fighting and dying in that
war.
The fairgrounds flooded in 1919 during the fair and after trying to keep the program going it was
decided to cancel the last day’s events. The first permanent grandstand was built in 1925 and stood until
1980 when the present structure was built. During the depression years of the late 20s and early 30s,
money was very tight, and the board went on record as opposing any new construction, except
outhouses, until the depression years were over.
The golf association in 1932 appeared before the board to ask if they could lease the grounds in the off
season. It sounds like a good story so I include it here, but I have doubts of its truth. (One of the holes on
the grounds was placed so one had to shoot over the grandstand to get to it.) There was some
displeasure of the golfers over the fact that the fair board leased the grounds to a farmer to pasture his
sheep and eventually the golfers found a new area. As early as 1939 the fair board appeared before the
county commissioners to request money to build a structure to house the 4-H during the fair. It wasn’t
until the early 1950s that a mill levy was attached to the county budget by the commissioners to allow
money for construction of the 4-H building and the removal of all fences on the grounds. Since that time
the Roseau fair has had a free gate and no parking fee. As late as 1948 the fair board was contracting to
buy ice on the grounds for food stands that had ice boxes for food storage. And after many attempts at
digging a well, the board approved laying water mains from city water to the fairgrounds.
The 4-H program is credited with being the backbone of this very successful fair. The county has in
excess of 800 4-H members who culminate their year by exhibiting at the yearly fair. For 47 of the first
100 years of our county, the 4-H was directed by the very capable Delores Andol. Starting with the
county 4-H program, Delores, just out of high school, went on to direct the premier 4-H program in the
state of Minnesota. Because of the loyalty of former 4-H members, our fairgrounds each year fills with
families of these former members and the multiplier effect of this outstanding program affects peoples
of worldwide proportions.
Although the fairgrounds are on the outskirts of the city of Roseau, the fair is entirely an entity of its
own which is led by an all-volunteer board. Since its inception, over 80 county residents have served or
are still serving on this board.
During the years 1980 to 1990 over a half million dollars was spent on improvements to the fairgrounds.
To the credit of the fine people who support the fair and good fiscal management by the board, the
Agricultural Society is debt free.
The incorporation intended that the fair be an annual event and incorporated the word “perpetual” in
its legal document as the length of time the Society would function. Hopefully 100 years from this time
another fair secretary will be writing with the next 100 years in mind. Let the tradition of excellence
continue.
Thank you to 
for letting us share our county’s history with your listeners by donating air time, studio time, and production staff every week.