Fixing Up for the Fair
News & Leader staff photographer Bob Keller snapped the improvments being made at the fair in 1963.
Fixing Up for the Fair
Sunday News & Leader
August 4, 1963
"The Ozark Empire Fair Board has spent $35,000 already this year in making improvements and adding facilities to the fairgrounds in preparation for the 27th annual exposition Aug. 8-14. This will be a new pedestrian entrance at Broadway and Norton Road, with the unique steel frame to be covered before the gates swing open. This entrance will lead directly to the midway, where Al Kunz's Century 21 Shows begin setting up rides and other attractions late Wednesday.
"Another of the improvements at the fairgrounds is the addition to the poultry, pigeon and rabbit building. Last year there were so many entries in these classes that the fair lacked space to accommodate them. Dr. W. A. Delzell, fair board president, says that the addition will create space for at least 200 additional coops. The Missouri State Poultry Show will be judged in this building on August 9 and 10. To the right is the swine and sheep pavillion, and in the background is a parking area.
"Another new, permanent structure on the western end of the fairgrounds is the Floriculture building, and workmen are putting the finishing touches on display cases and shelves. This building will include a demonstration area where each day during the fair, programs will be given on a variety of subjects of interest to homemakers.
"Permanent housing for a Springfield City Fire Department truck is provided by this new concrete block building at the west end of the grandstand, and when this photo was made firemen were preparing to stake out sufficient clearance space so nothing will impede the operation of the equipment in case of an emergency during fair week.
"Two buildings [are] new to the fairgrounds this year. The vehicles are parked in front of a new cattle barn, eliminating the use of a large tent in this area. Other cattle barns are in the foreground and in the background, midst the trees. The small block building is a new shower and lounge for feminine exhibitors in the livestock classes, and was built with funds donated by the agricultural committee of the Rotary Club.
"The pace had slowed down somewhat when this photograph was made of members of the Fair's clerical staff posting entries. There are three other members of Secretary-Manager G. B. Boyd's entry filing crew. At right is Mrs. Charles O. Johnson, Superintendent of Household Arts, while in the background, Helen Yarbrough (back to camera) and Helen Welters, are coping with the livestock entries. Left foreground is Pauline Goodnight, entry clerk. Other posting clerks are Nancy Crighton, Dorothey Krattley and Marie Logan."
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