Story County 4-H History Display

Story County Girls and Boys 4-H Officers 1967-68
Front row, left to right:  Kathy Hunt, Collins, president; Mary Burg, Colo, vice president; Rae Snider, Huxley, secretary-treasurer; Debra Owen, Maxwell, historian; and Bev Upchurch, Zearing, reporter.
Back row, left to right:  Leonard Larson, Cambridge, president; Steve Toot, Nevada, vice president; Kent Britten, Zearing, secretary; Steve Holland, Collins, historian and Bob Robinson, Colo, reporter.

Story County Girls and Boys 4-H Officers 1968-69
Front row, left to right: Carol Rasmusson, McCallsburg; reporter; Rhonda Anderson, Nevada, historian; Virginia Bullard, Maxwell, secretary-treasurer; Virginia Varnum, Colo, vice president, and Barb McKinney, Colo, President.
Back row, left to right: John Griffith, Maxwell, reporter; Joe Sandve, Collins, historian; Greg Steensland, Huxley, secretary-treasurer; John Carlson, Colo, vice president, and Neal Praty, Nevada, president.

For several years, the 4-H History Committee has spent time organizing pictures, clippings and other 4-H materials from the past.  The story of 4-H in Story County is told by these records.  Some of the materials will be on display at the 2017 County Fair on Sunday afternoon, July 23 from 1 to 5 pm in the Extension meeting room.

There is a variety in the collection.  It includes notebooks by the decade (starting in the 1920s); Celebrating 75 years of the County Fair (4 notebooks); a 4-H leaders notebook starting in the 1920s; County Historian book (1954-60); 4-H Citizenship Washington Focus; Story County Fair Queens; 4-H Alum of the Year; and Story County 4-H History 1917-2012 (Google “Iowa 4H History by County”.

This year there is a focus on the 50s, 60s, and early 70’s.  4-H officers of those years will be honored at the 4-H Reunion that afternoon at 2:15 pm in Christy 4-H Hall.

The 4-H History Committee includes Evelyn Beavers, JoAnn Blanchard, Marlys Cooper, Mary deBaca, MaryAnn Gardner, Linda Meyers, Carolyn Manning, Ralph Manning, Bob Nervig, and Shirley Pilgrim.

Story County 4-H Reunion July 24, 2106

Come to the 2016 4-H Reunion at the Story County Fair. It will be Sunday, July 24, 2-4 pm in Christy 4-H Hall. What fun to see old friends and reminisce about past memories.

The program will begin at 2:15 pm. This year the program will honor former and present Fair Board members. They will be recognized for all the time and effort they give to make the county fair a success. You may have a relative or friend who was on the fair board in the past or is on it currently. We encourage families and friends to join the celebration. You may pick up a printed program listing fair board members from 1940 to 2016. It will also list their years of service.

Other parts of the program will include introducing the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame honoree who will represent Story County at the Iowa State Fair in August. The 4-H Alum of the Year will be presented and 4-H’er Avery Mather will share what excites her about 4-H today. Prizes for the 4-H’ers in Action contest will be awarded. The Story County 4-H Foundation will present scholarship recipients, grant recipients, and recognize donors for their generosity. They will share what the Foundation has accomplished with the money for the benefit of the 4-H’ers of Story County. Jason Mortvedt, a 4-H alum from Ames will be the emcee.

That afternoon, be sure to browse through the Story County 4-H History display in the meeting room next to Christy 4-H Hall. It features a number of books over the years, starting in 1917. You may find pictures and clippings featuring people you have known. Anyone who enjoys talking bout 4-H, both now and the past will enjoy this afternoon. Refreshments are courtesy of South Story Bank and Trust.

2001 Story County Fair Board
Pictured (Front, l-r): Larry Hall, Dave Moody, Don Struthers, Steve Moser, Dennis Romsey, Greg Sindt. (Back, l-r): Terry Robinson, Nancy Couser, Nelda Christian, Carl Link, Bob Williams, James Romer, Ann Lem, Lorraine Hoffman.

1964 Story County Fair Board
 Front Row – Loy Black, Dean Handsaker, Leonard Dueland, Twedt Hanson, Arthur Riley.  Back Row – Herb Reinertson, Allen Anderson, Bob Zeisneiss, Virgil Brooks, Orlin Lein, Vern Noring.  (Absent are Marshall Thompson and Hubert Twit.)

4-H'ers in Action Photo Contest - Entries Due July 10, 2015

You can be a part of the Story County Fair

• Anyone can enter – youth or adult
  
• You may or may not be or have been a 4-H’er
  
• You do not need to have taken the photo
  
• Photo must feature a 4-H member or members involved in a 4-H activity
  
• Photo can be current (since Jan. 2013) or historic
  
• Photos will be judged on the 4-H story they tell
  
• No entry fees
  
• If you enter a 4-H photo taken in 1940, you will be considered for the 1940 Jack Pot prize of $75.
  

• Please mount photo on a sheet of white paper and include:

Who is in the picture, what is the 4-H activity, the year when it was taken, and where it was taken

• Place in a plastic sheet protector

Entries are due Monday, July 10, 2015, 5 PM at the

Story County Extension Office, Nevada

For more information on classes and an entry form, check the 2015 county fair book, which is available at the Story County Extension Office or on line at www.sc-fair.com

Story County Fair will be July 25 – 29, 2015

Help Us Dig Into Story County 4-H History

Thank you to Carolyn Manning for sharing this with us.  You can learn more about the history of 4-H in Story County, Iowa here.

Help us Dig into 4-H History

Shared with Story County Historical Alliance, 4/11/15

In 1940, the present fair grounds became the home for the Story County 4-H Fair.  That has been 75 years of outstanding youth and excellent projects.  We have much to celebrate at this year’s youth fair.

Story County families have lots of 4-H history in their families.  Who do you know that have several generations of 4-H’ers in their family?  Please let them know that the 4-H History Committee would love to hear their story.  

When you are exploring your family history, keep the “4-H’ers in Action” photo classes in mind.  There are 4-H classes plus open classes for any adult or youth to enter.  You can enter a photo of any 4-H’er in action, past or present.  You can enter a photo of a grandparent when they were an active 4-Her.  There is a special class for any 4-H photos taken at the 1940 Fair.  There will be cash prizes.  Questions?  Ask JoAnn Blanchard (515-290-1294).

We will honor individuals who have shown the Grand Champion Market Steers since 1940.  This will be part of the 4-H Reunion on July 26.  While our list has been growing, we still need names and addresses of those in1988, 1996 - 1999 and 2005.  If you know anyone of these, please share name and address with Michelle Gibson (Phone: 515-450-4329).

The collection of county fair books from the 1940s to today is nearly complete.  Missing books range from 1941 – 1945 plus 1947 and 1958.  Record books and historian books are good places to look.  Fair books may be left at the Extension Office for the 4-H History Committee.

We are also searching for more photos taken at the 1940 county Fair.  These would be put in a Fair History notebook.  Any help you can give us will be greatly appreciated.  See you at the 75-Year Celebration at the 2015 Story County Youth Fair.

Mark your Calendar………

Story County Youth Fair - July 25 – 29, Fairgrounds, Nevada

4-H Reunion – Sunday, July 26, 2-4 PM, Christy 4-H Hall, Nevada

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The Story County 4-H History Committee is a group of volunteers who have supported the preservation of the Story County 4-H History.  4-H is part of Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Story County, which is located at 220 H Avenue Box 118, Nevada, Iowa 50201.

Contact:  Carolyn Manning, 211 Valley View Circle, Nevada, Iowa 50201 (515-382-6616)

Other Committee Members:

Evelyn Beavers, Ames   515-292-7025

JoAnn Blanchard, Nevada   515-290-1294

Marlys Cooper, Ames     515-450-4676

Mary deBaca, Huxley    515-597-2727

Ralph Manning, Nevada    515-382-6616

Linda Meyers, Story City    515-733-4577

Bob Nervig, Ankeny    515-257-4850

Shirley Pilgrim   515-382-2740