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War Time

War Time

Lloyd B. Cunningham, a Howard County farmer and Fair Board director, was named secretary-manager to succeed Arthur R. Corey in 1941. The first Fair under Cunningham's direction was a patriotic dedication featuring defense exhibits and demonstrations by the Army, Navy and Marine Corps. The principal event of interest was the National Tall Corn Contest, won by a corn stalk 23 ft. 2.5 in. tall. New contests included an Iowa Quiz Derby for teams of schoolchildren and Iowa's first statewide Farmers Horseshoe Pitching Tournament. Horseshoe pitching remains a regular daily Fair activity today.

The Fair became a wartime casualty in 1942 when the Board turned its many fireproof buildings over to the Army Air Corps at a token rental to be used as a supply depot. Even plans for a limited 4-H Fair were canceled in the interest of gasoline and tire conservation. This was only the second time the Fair had been canceled; the previous omission occurred in 1898; factors in its cancellation were the World's Fair held in Omaha that year and the Spanish-American War.

After World War II ended, Iowa's 1946 Centennial celebration provided an ideal theme for the renewal of the Fair. Noteworthy among the exhibits was a display of the nation's aerial might, plus other weapons and armaments which helped gain victory for the American and Allied forces.

During the 1946-1950 period, the G.I. Farm Family Contest, designed to honor Iowa's outstanding veteran farm family, was introduced. A Farm Gadget Contest, encouraging inventions to make farm work easier, was also added. In 1950, the first Iowa State Fair Queen was selected.