"Mike" PEEBLER recalls first Fairfield fair (1854) - in 1934

PEEBLER

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 3/29/2006 at 19:53:22

"The Fairfield Ledger"
Saturday, September 1, 1934
Page 3

"Mike" PEEBLER, 96, Recalls Scenes of First Fair Held in Fairfield 80 Years Ago.

Wriggled Through Rail Fence to Gain Free Access

During the week of the Iowa State Fair, memories of the first state fair, held at Fairfield 80 years ago, have been re-lived by M, D. (Mike) PEEBLER, 96-year-old resident of Livermore, Iowa, according to word received from him by relatives in Jefferson county.

Mr. PEEBLER is a grandfather of Glenn L. PEEBLER of Fairfield, the father of John PEEBLER, living south of Libertyville, and a relative of all other PEEBLERs in this county. Before moving to his present home, Mr. PEEBLER was a prominent landowner of the Fairfield vicinity. He has owned the Chautauqua Park land, and numerous other acres in the same part of the county. He was born at Fort Madison, Februaty (sic) 9, 1838.

In 1854, Mr. PEEBLER, then 16 years old, attended the first state fair here. He recalls how he and other boys removed rails from the fence surrounding the exposition and wiggled through the barrier to gain free access to the delights of the fair.

Although there were many novelties and exhibits of agricultural and scientific importance at the fair, Mr. PEEBLER recalls with most vividness the candy booth, at which he was a frequent visitor.

Mr. PEEBLER did not attend the fair at Des Moines this week.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I am not related to the person(s) mentioned.