push a button to signal the start But there was no doubt the Even though revenues were of the first State Fair of Oklahoma. most popular attraction of the short to pay expenses, the Charles Haskell, recently elected first State Fair was horse racing, State Fair was declared a huge as the new state’s first Governor, long a fancy of early Oklahomans. success by its founders. In addressed the crowd. After several days of racing the just nine months, the Fair The exposition was largely an Oklahoma Derby, a one-mile race, transitioned from an idea to a agricultural show. A vigorous that featured 16 horses, fifteen colossal construction project that proponent of the Fair wrote that thousand racing fans had gathered presented the best Oklahoma the main purpose was to exhibit and paid 50 cents for general could offer to an appreciative and the products of the farm, “a place admission and $1 for box seats. enthusiastic public. where not only will be found the corn, wheat, cotton, broomcorn, potatoes, alfalfa and all that the Oklahoma farmer grows,” but indeed, “all his livestock, even to the garden and orchard.” The strategy of providing $30,000 in prizes was successful. Horse barns overflowed and extra stalls had to be added. More than 2,000 chickens were entered, including a 300-bird flock shipped by a farmer in Wisconsin. Honey and homemade biscuits were free to Fairgoers at a farm demonstration booth manned by students from Oklahoma A&M College in Stillwater, known today as Oklahoma Prize cattle parade before the Grandstand at the 1909 State Fair. State University. Oklahoma’s American Indian culture was displayed in a recreated village Other special days drew a total Most of the money problems where Cheyenne tribal members of 75,000 visitors in the 12-day that beset the infant State Fair set up camp and displayed Fair. Epworth University, now Association resulted from the weapons and native handiwork. Oklahoma City University, and Panic of 1907, a national banking A carnival featured games and Northwestern Normal School in crisis that began on Wall Street the “Australian Snake Girl,” Alva, now Northwestern Oklahoma and caused a dramatic, but who handled rattlesnakes. At State University, played a football fortunately, brief depression. With night, visitors were treated to game; Old Soldiers’ Day featured little plan to raise money to pay an elaborate set on which was a parade for veterans of the off the mounting debt, members performed “Carnival of Naples,” Spanish American War and the of the Fair Board turned to Henry with high wire acts, musicians, Rough Riders Association; and Overholser, a son of German and costumed actors. A fireworks Kentucky Day, was a reunion of immigrants, who had both the display crowned the evening’s former Kentuckians now living in resources and leadership ability to entertainment. Oklahoma. save the State Fair of Oklahoma. 16