Historic Hood River
Oregon State Fair
7-7-2020
Notes
Alva Day took this image at the Oregon State Fair in September 1934. That beautiful building in the background was lost to fire in 1967.
There are some great details– the Ferris wheel and ice cream slices for 5 cents. Day was at the fair working for the Pacific Power. He had an exhibit where livestock exhibitors could have their feed cut and ground for free with an electric motor.
Charlott
I don't recall much about the actual state fair, though I was there two or three times. I was stuck pretty much in the rabbit barn. I had rabbits in 4-H and had numerous ones that were grand champions and went to state fair. There was not basically much competition in the particular line of rabbits I had. I did have competition at the state fair. I was the first one to have in Hood River County was where called New Zealand Reds. My 4-H leader wanted to bring them into the county and we went to Canby where I got my start. I do not know what happened, but you don't see that breed around much anymore. Lots of these mini or lop ear hares now.The surrounding area of Canby in the 1950's had a lot of rabbit farms. I suppose there was a greater call for rabbit meat then.
Bill Seaton
I remember back around 1958 or '59, I went to the State Fair, and I got to see Johnny Cash perform there. He was one of my favorites at the time.
nels
Is the state fair cancelled for this September?
L.E.
I don't remember that JFK was in Salem to campaign speak and I don't remember the building burning.
What a bummer that Jerry Frank, after 60 years of eating chocolate cake, will not be able to judge this year.
nels
In the process of searching for the 1934 state fair I stumbled on the Oregonian's article about the state hospital where 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' was filmed. Evidently the Oregonian won a 2005 Pulitzer Prize for their write up about that ghastly hospital that still stands and incarcerates people, some not mentally ill. Do you have any pictures of care and placement of the mentally ill
in your files?
Norma
L.E.: JFK was in Corvallis in the spring of 1960 campaigning. They expected such a crowd the regular Wednesday afternoon convocation was held in the basketball arena. Only convocation I attended all year.