Show has rich history
CONNOQUENESSING TWP — The Butler Farm Show began as a plowing contest in 1947 sponsored by the Machine Dealers Association.
In the summer of 1948, the Butler County Extension Service, Vo-Ag instructors and farm groups organized a get-together in the township. Competing for cash prizes, 4-H members and the Future Farmers of America showed off their plowing skills.
A year later, the Machine Dealers Association applied to the state Legislature for a charter on behalf of the Butler Farm Show board.
The Legislature granted the charter in July 1949, and a three-day show was held in August. The big draw was KDKA star Slim Bryant and his Wildcats.
Now, the weeklong Butler Farm Show draws crowds of almost 100,000.
Here are some more of the Butler Farm Show's historical moments:
1952The Butler Eagle Bowl was established. The Eagle Bowl is presented each year to the family that participates in the Butler Farm Show to the greatest extent and with the highest degree of success. The Walter Henricks family of Butler was the first recipient.
1954Tractor. Weight. Horsepower. The farm show directors put them all together and brought the first tractor pull contest to the show. The Butler County Tractor Maintenance Association sponsored the first contest.
1955Farm show directors decided to buy property for a permanent site for the show. Land was bought in Connoquenessing Township from Earl M. Raisely and W.L. Roe. A 50-cent parking fee was charged to help pay for the acquisition.
1957The 3½-acre lake was constructed on the farm show grounds.
1958It was a building year for the farm show. An agriculture building — now the Grange Building — was erected; three cattle barns were built; 1,000 feet of gas lines were laid; and a 1,600 foot water line was installed at a cost of more than $10,000.
1961The airport was moved to its current location adjacent to the show grounds. A hangar was built for plane storage.
1965Signs of the Cold War came to the farm show. The U.S. Navy displayed a large-scale model of the Polaris submarine missile.
1966The farm show was expanded to a five-day event and parking was increased to $1 per car.
1968Bad weather struck Butler County and the farm show. High wind and rain storms brought down several tents at the show.
<B>1972</B>Women finally got to compete in the greased pig contest. Light and heavyweight horse-pulling contests were added, as was a shuttle bus service from Butler to the farm show grounds.<B>1973</B>Butler County 4-H and FFA exhibited and sold their livestock projects for the first time.<B>1977-78</B>The horse and sheep barns were completed.<B>1984</B>The beef barn was completed.1989 and 1991</B>New exhibit halls were built for more commercial exhibits.<B>1994</B>The CB Rangers Building was bought for a permanent office.<B>1995</B>A new milking parlor was constructed at the dairy complex.<B>1995-97</B>The grandstand was built in sections as funds permitted.<B>2002</B>The auditorium pavilion was constructed just past the farm show office.<B>2005</B>The Butler Farm Show was named the Outstanding Agricultural Fair in Western Pennsylvania by officials at the state fair.<B>2006</B>Work was completed on expanding the covered grandstand bleachers to seat up to 4,000 people, and the Meridian building housing the eating facilities was renovated.
