escapades
Bankrolled to Splurge Digging for treasure at the Guthrie County Fair story by Carroll McKibbin | illustration by Dave Toht
The Ringling Brothers Circus claimed it was “The Greatest Show on Earth.” But I knew better. That distinction belonged to the Guthrie County Fair. The most wondrous event of my year returned to the fairgrounds along the banks of the South Raccoon River in Guthrie Center each Labor Day weekend. No place produced so much excitement in so few days. And in 1947 my mother gave me permission to go solo for the first time. With a pocketful of dimes earned by running errands for my grandmothers, I was bankrolled to splurge on five-cent goodies and ten-cent rides.
“Don’t eat a lot of junk,” said my mother knowingly, “and don’t spend all your money in one place.” I skipped across the courthouse lawn, through Guthrie Center’s three-block business district, and past Mitchell Park. Merry-go-round melodies drew me to the fairgrounds entrance, and there I entered a fairyland. A Ferris wheel lifted riders above treetops. Wooden horses galloped on the merry-go-round. And the metal arms of a machine in a glass case tugged and pulled gleaming white strands of taffy, a once-a-year treat and the best nickel ever spent. But September/October 2013 | THE IOWAN
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