E.J. McCall of the McCall Blue Ribbon Livestock Farm near Donaldsonville took the Grand Championship and the Grand Champion Aged Sow prizes with his Duroc swine. He is pictured here with his 890-pound prize-winning hog. With exhibitors from 11 different states participating, the cattle, poultry, swine, and horse displays were said to represent the best the world could offer.
Groundbreaking for the 1916 New Orleans National Farm and Livestock Show, to take place Nov. 11-19, happened in May under the direction of I. B. Rennyson, the fair’s General Manager. These early preparations were to build a 5-acre educational model farm and a cattle dipping vat that would eradicate tics from livestock.
The opening day on Nov. 11 started with a parade full of bands and dignitaries traveling from Lee Circle to the Fair Grounds. After a 21-bomb salute, Louisiana Governor Pleasant and New Orleans Mayor Behrman gave speeches before the crowds poured in.
Each day had a theme, such as Educational Day and Prosperity Day, with complementing programming. In making sure the fair had local culture represented, a contest for the largest head of beef cattle was called the “Boeuf Gras” and the last day would be Carnival Day, complete with masking and Carnival kings and queens in attendance.
Women’s Day at the fair was also kicked off with a “Women’s Activities and Achievements” parade. Suffragettes and society ladies were delivered to the Fair Grounds in decorated cars driven by women. On exhibit was an arts and crafts show of recent women emigres from countries such as Japan, Greece and Norway. A Baby Beauty Contest had 128 baby contestants.
Fair programs included livestock and poultry shows and sales, car and horse races, basketball and football games, airplane shows, dog shows, and an exposition hall for a wide variety of merchants. Exhibits included pianos, trucks, sporting goods, animal feed and much more. Of special note was the telephone exhibit where people could place actual phone calls.
Agricultural products were also well represented in exhibits. Fresh, canned, and preserved fruits and vegetables were interspersed with cotton, sugar cane, and farming machinery. Two Potato Prizes were offered: $50 for the best dozen Irish potatoes grown by a woman in New Orleans, and $100 for the best 3-dozen potatoes grown from seed sold by a New Orleans seedsman.
A second fair happened in 1917, but World War I cancelled plans for the following years, and the fair was never held again.
