The Du Quoin State Fair at 100 - The 1940s The fair rises, the grandstand falls

The 1940s was a big decade for the Du Quoin State Fair. Here's why.

World War II forced closure of the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield as it became a military training center.

As a result, the Grand Circuit switched its already-scheduled harness program south to Du Quoin, where it had never raced previously.

The Hayes family rolled out the red carpet in hopes of impressing officials, owners and drivers. It worked. Du Quoin became a regular stop on the Grand Circuit which in racing was comparable to baseball's major leagues.

The other half of the huge 1940 happenings at the fairgrounds was as unfortunate as the racing was a plus. The grandstand burned to the ground.

But, first things first.

In 1940, politics managed to creep into the limelight ... even more so than in previous years. At the 1940 fair, Henry Wallace - FDR's secretary of agriculture - and his entourage were popular visitors and the Evening Call's report had "more than 20,000 attending his appearance."

Even more meaningful was the opinion that although the "first 17 fairs were great, 1940 was best ever."

The Music Corporation of America, the world leader in its field, booked and directed the night show. The Johnny "Scat" Davis Orchestra was the backbone of the show.

Everyone contributed to the success of the fair - even the horses, as a record was established of 2:06 3/4. (Note: Times were kept by fourths before later being changed to fifths-of-a-second.)

Jimmy Wilburn again stole the show in car racing as he won the 25-lap feature on the one-half mile track in 9:11.05.

It was another good year and, in fact, things truly took off in the forties. Here's a year-by-year review of the highlights:

<h3 class="breakHead">1942: Although a "good year" - with Grand Circuit-caliber horses competing - there also were obvious drawbacks caused by wartime conditions. Auto racing was banned!</h3>

Believe it or not, officials scheduled a full day of thoroughbred racing ... runners at Du Quoin. And, fans enjoyed it.

And, too, an ultramodern, 500-feet long horse barn had been completed and was in use for the first time.

Attendance was called at 30,000 and included Gov. Dwight H. Green.

<h3 class="breakHead">1943: It was a wartime year with a number of restrictions, but was still a success with prices adjusted (25 cents admission to the grounds, $1.10 for grandstand box seats, and 75 cents for "best reserved seats".)</h3>

Volo Song, the earlier Hambletonian champ, was a winner on the half-mile track in 2:13 and 2:08 ¼.

<h3 class="breakHead">1944: W.R. Hayes, the main man, called the 1944 Fair "the best ever."</h3>

<h3 class="breakHead">1945: It contained one day I will never forget. EVER!</h3>

Just 16 at the time and never having written a news story in my life (as I was strictly sports, typesetter and page makeup at the Evening Call), we were filling in for City Editor Virgil Bishop on this particular day. Home for lunch, the phone rang, my mother, said, "It's Mr. Smith, he needs to talk to you."

Mr. Smith, the boss man, said, "Huff, something Is happening at the fairgrounds. Better see what's going on."

I borrowed my mother's car and got to the fairgrounds. The grandstand was not there. It had burned to the ground and I had to write the story for the paper. I had never written a news story in my life. It's now 1:30 and deadline is 2:00.

It was not good, but ...

That was just the beginning, however, of what would become the busiest year in Fair history.

Plans already called for the Fair to "move" several blocks east of its present location. A mile track was already in place. Plans called for a 8,000-seat grandstand which would be used in 1946.

However, W.R. Hayes was a powerful man. He had contacts and used them all, plus a few others, to call in an army of construction types who managed to build a new grandstand and the 1945 Fair was simply moved basically overnight. It wasn't perfect. There were no orchestra section seats. Upper grandstand seats were simply folding chairs. Some other facilities, like toilets, were not yet in place. But for the most part the grandstand was in place in time for the 1945 racing and night-show crowds. Truly amazing.

Both horse and auto racing were outstanding with record times and crowds.

The stage show was well received as usual and fans were excited about all of the new attractions as well as the old, like the livestock competition, society horse show, auto thrill show and carnival.

The Hayes family was obviously appreciative also.

<h3 class="breakHead">1946: The year after the fire was more normal although there was still "landmarks" like permanent food stands at the north and east entrances to the carnival area.</h3>

There were other "first-time" happenings as well. Like a water show as a major feature of the night show. And, for the first time ever, the Fair closed on Labor Day instead of the traditional opening. The only problem was the weather. Fans had to sit through a three-hour night show.

After a successful week of harness racing which included Victory Song turning in a 2:00 ¾ winning time, second fastest in the nation that year, track action turned to motor activities. Only problem was that Saturday's auto race was rained out, Sunday's motorcycle races were held on a muddy track and a dusty track the next day caused main attraction Jimmy Wilburn to withdraw.

It happens.

<h3 class="breakHead">1947: Fortunately, this fair was a winner most of the way, enough so that officials called it "the biggest Fair ever."</h3>

There were a few hitches, but compared to 1946 it was near perfect.

A refrigeration problem threatened the scheduled ice show on opening night, but it was corrected. Near capacity crowds were reported for the remainder of the week. There still were no "orchestra seats" and a canvas was the only covering for the stage. It was somewhat surprising that "finishing touches" were still being applied to the grandstand which was opened for the first time for commercial exhibits.

<h3 class="breakHead">1948: After the record 1947 Fair, the rains returned the following year, forcing officials to extend scheduling to eight days - over two weekends - in addition to extending some events, like motorcycle and AAA midget racing a complete week. Even some commercial exhibits returned for the extended events.</h3>

During the normal week, some performers in the night show did their thing while actually holding umbrellas over their heads. Some fans in the stands also had coverings.

Before rains caused cancellations, Lee Walldorf set "a new world record" according to the Evening Call when he won a sanctioned 100-mile "big car" race on a track also used for horse racing. Winning in 1:07:53.18, he averaged 99.28 mph. Reportedly it was the "first national championship ever held at Du Quoin."

It's also a "must" to mention the fact that Fair officials had scheduled another 100-mile auto race to be held Oct. 10. And, it was in this event that Ted Horn was killed in the fourth turn of just the second lap. He had already been declared the champion driver for the year. What a tragedy.

<h3 class="breakHead">1949: Never let it be said that the Hayes family - father (W.R.) or sons (Gene or Don) - were ever satisfied with the Fair's past record. And that's what happened in 1949 when for the first time they booked a new show in front of the main grandstand.</h3>

Beatrice Kay, a "Gay 90s" singer and radio star, headlined the $35,000 night show Monday through Saturday, with the Pollack Bros. Eastern Circus taking over the stage for the final two nights of the Fair.

As one might imagine ticket prices were increased slightly for the innovations. Box seats were priced at two dollars early in the week and increased to $3.50 for the three afternoons of motorized racing and two nights at the circus.

The society horse show continued to attract more and more entries and fans than in previous years. The legendary Virginia Marmaduke, a southern Illinois native and now a prominent news reporter for the Chicago Sun, continued in her role as mistress of ceremonies.

Lusty Song, an up-and-coming star of the Hayes Fair Acres stables and winner of 13 races in a row, appeared for the first time before a hometown crowd. He finished second to Florican who won two heats compared to Lusty Song's one.

Tony Bettenhausen claimed his first Du Quoin victory in Saturday's 100-mile AAA sanctioned big car 100-mile race in 1:06.37.13. Sunday's motorcycle race was won by Horace Travis. Bettenhausen returned the next day, Labor Day, but was forced out with a faulty engine allowing Johnny Parsons to win the race.

It was another success year/decade for the Fair and the Hayes family ... and for Du Quoin.

• Coming up: The 1950s.