The Deggeller Magic Midway

The Deggeller Magic Midway Attractions was started by Allen and Irvin Deggellar and is still a family run business.

The brothers bought a rusty ‘Roll-O-Plane’ Ride after World War 2, and traveled with the Gooding Amusement Company from Columbus, Ohio. In 1957, they purchased a small Ohio Amusement Show with 20 rides, and called it Deggeller Amusement Company.

They had an aggressive business strategy by booking Big State Fairs, which most new carnival companies refrained from. Soon they began to grow.

It took them 3 years to make Deggeller’s Magic Midway Company one of the largest in the carnival industry, and is still in business today.

Deggellar’s Magic Midway provided the midway for the Ionia Free Fair from 1965 – 1978, then back again from 1982 – 1987, and from 1989 – 1991. They were the fair’s midway for a total of 22 years, longer that any other midway amusement company contracted for the Ionia Free Fair.

This is a picture taken at the Ionia Free Fair, not necessarily a Deggeller ride.

                                     

The Ionia Free Fair, looking back 1915-2015

The 1917 Ionia Free Fair was held August 15-18.  To "guarantee" good weather for those first few fairs the dates were chosen through "scientific calculation".   They were rewarded with great weather in the early years.
The 1917 fair brought the first tractor display on the midway, S.A. Mulhauser was the chairman of that department.
By May of 1917 the effects of World War I were being felt in the community, approximately 4000 men would be drafted in the county.  The Governor requested that a Patriotic Day be held during the fair, and Thursday was selected as that day.  To this day we still designate Thursday as Veterans' Day.
The 30 car Johnny Jones Shows had been contracted for the 1917 fair.  Secretary Fred Chapman reported that selling a large show on coming to such a small community was difficult but the records of the previous years won them over.
A large crowd awaited the arrival of the train carrying the Johnny Jones Shows, there was about a two hour delay due to some minor accidents on the tracks.  Once it arrived the crowd was not let down.  The show featured a large animal menagerie, and some of it's midway attractions were Dakota Max's Wild West Show,  and the Human Chicken Family.
Aerial stunts resulted in mishaps before a Friday crowd.  In Walt Bullock's last aeroplane flight at the fair the engine died.  He landed at about 100 miles per hour before coming to a rest in a 10 acre hay field on the Charles Ross farm approximately 4.5 miles west of the Reformatory.
During the Parachute drop, Charlie Sonier's chute floated him into some electrical wires.  There was a big blue flash, seen by thousands.  It burned off the ropes and dropped him to the ground, he was not seriously hurt.
Mrs. Zala won the automobile at the 1917 fair.

The pictures below are not necessarily from the 1917 fair.  Most of the images we have from the early years do not indicate dates.

The Ionia Free Fair in the beginning.

Planning for the 1916 Ionia Free Fair began in March.  Rutherford Shows was signed to be the midway provider, one of the largest in the country.   The 1916 midway would be twice the size of the previous year.  The fair was extended by one day and the dates were set for August 16-19, 1916.  Al Roshek, the aviator,  was contracted to fly his 120 hp aeroplane over the fairgrounds.  Another new hot air balloon would ascend during the fair and would be christened  "Sky Pilot".  The balloon was named by Adelaide Arnold of South Ionia, she received a $5 gold piece as her prize.  The crowd received an unexpected thrill when the balloonist dangled from his safety harness, as a rope on his trapeze bar broke.  He landed on Dexter Street.  The new 1917 Automobile was won by Edward Davenport.  

This picture is obviously NOT from the 1916 fair it is a snapshot of fair history. 

Fun at the first Ionia Free Fair

During the opening day of the first Ionia Free Fair on Wednesday, August 18, 1915 Professor ER Hutchinson launched a brand new hot air balloon, it was christened "Ionia".

Exhibits were judged and awards were given, first place in the poultry department went to Dennis Holtenbeck of Belding, he received $10 for the best pen.  

During the first horse race held at the Ionia Free Fair a horse named Echo, owned by JB Welch, got away from its driver and went into the crowd.  No one was seriously injured, but it added to the excitement.  

On the final day of the 1915 Ionia Free Fair a 1916 Ford was awarded to Emma Hodgkins.  

This picture comes from a much later fair, after the Automobile building was built.

  

The First Ionia Free Fair

The Ionia Free Fair opened on August 16, 1915 with an automobile parade,  hundreds participated.  Drivers stopped on their way to lineup at the Brown-Williston and Callow Hotels to pick up flags to decorate their cars.
Crowds attending the fair the first day were estimated over 10,000.  They were treated to many exhibits and displays, including a vacuum freezer where ice cream was made while you waited.
Surrounding communities closed stores on Friday in order to attend the fair.

 

And so it began....

On February 15, 1915 at an Ionia Businessmen's meeting the "free fair" project was launched.  In early February of the same year the Ionia District Fair had been dissolved due to financial difficulties.  The idea for an admission free fair was proposed by Mayor Fred Green and a committee was assembled consisting of T.B. Preston, H.B Webber, Mr. Heath, Robert Beard, K. Bob Smith, F.A. Chapman, Fred Lange, Thomas McGannon, A.M. Welch and Thane Benedict.  The first meeting was held in March of 1915 and the dates for the first Ionia Free Fair were set for August 18, 19 & 20, 1915.
Pictured below (obviously not during the fair!) Fred A. Chapman, Fred W. Green and Clara and Henry Ford, taken in Ionia.

The Ionia Free Fair celebrates 100 years of making memories this year.  The fair means so many different things to so many people.  There is something for everyone at the Ionia Free Fair and over the years we have evolved decade by decade.  Through the next 23 weeks we will blog about the history of the Ionia Free Fair beginning in 1915 and leading up to the 2015 celebration.  Please check back weekly for a glimpse into the rich history of agriculture, entertainment, amusements and memories the Ionia Free Fair has created for so many.