Surf City’s second country fair

A LOOK BACK

Last week, we read of how the simple idea of a fall festival by the

Huntington Beach Garden Club grew into a three-day country fair.

The fair was so successful that the garden club decided to stage a

second country fair in 1944. And who better to lead and plan this

event then Bill Gallienne.

Beginning in March of 1944, he began assembling the people for the

various committees. Aiding Gallienne in this endeavor were members of

the fair’s executive committee composed of Gallienne, Huntington

Beach Mayor Tom Talbert, last year’s Garden Club president Louise

Jenkins, Mona Nevins, Harold Hepburn and Nancy Pann.

Like the year before, the fair would be sponsored by the

Huntington Beach Garden Club, but this year Reginald “Scotty” Hudson

held the position of president of that organization.

One of the first issues for the executive committee to face was

the fair’s theme and the committee came up with “California Under

Twelve Flags.” There would be twelve flags displayed during the

four-day event.

Money would be needed and that was the responsibility of the

finance committee composed of Jessie Mauldin, Wayne Pickering, David

Todd, Charles Burleycamp, Fred Mauldin and Grace Scott.

As in the previous year, the city did not have a Fourth of July

parade in 1944, so this event would serve as a replacement for our

famous July event.

One new event at the country fair would be the addition of a

Southern California twins contest, and who would have known that this

event would become a major event in future years.

What would a country fair be without its beauty contest? Like the

1943 fair, this one would have its beauty contest too.

Where last year the young lady who sold the most war bonds was

chosen queen of the fair, only this year it would be the girl who

sold the most season tickets for the fair between Aug. 1 to 15.

The girls would be under the watchful eye of Eve Druxman, who

chaired the queen and coronation committee.

The fair itself would begin on Thursday, Aug. 17 and run to

Sunday, Aug. 20.

Thirteen girls entered the contest to be queen of the fair --

Jeanette Adair, Corynne Bose, Catherine Case, Grace Cerda, Patricia

Coe, Dorothy Harper, Bertha Henslick, Ida Kratz, Barbara Lee,

Virginia Nichols, Barbara Whitfield, Beth Wise and Virginia Wise.

On the last day of the contest, Druxman announced that 19-year-old

Grace Cerda had sold the most season tickets and would be the queen.

Mona Nevins and her ticket and gate committee met for one last

time and were now ready to handle the large crowds in a quick and

efficient manner.

As the big day arrived, the Main Street merchants would again don

their best country costumes. Gallienne donned his “Diamond Jim” Brady

outfit while members of the Woman’s Club dressed in their best old

fashioned dresses.

The fair began with a parade down Main Street to the beach and

included music by the Long Beach Municipal Band, the fair queen and

her court and, of course, the fair committee members.

There were displays of all manner of homemade goods, baked, grown,

sewed or canned.

The Southern California Water Co. had a display that showed how

much water was lost by a dripping faucet. The American Legion’s booth

had a display of guns that were in use before the war. The Huntington

Beach Lions Club took up a collection and bought 12 trophies to be

given out as first place prizes. The Woman’s Club’s exhibit included

a depiction of the front of the White House with Miss Stars and

Stripes and Miss Liberty standing in front.

There would be a baby show and revue, a Dahlia and Begonia show.

Main Street was roped off for a horse parade and show. In Lake Park,

a barbecue was given by the Native Songs of the Golden West.

H.L. Hillman won first prize for his rabbit and Myrtle Harman won

the fastest milking contest.

These are just a few of the many activities in the fair of 1944

and of how our residents banded together to put on a city wide event

during those dark days of World War II.

I mentioned the casualties of war -- well even these can be a

blessing like when Uncle Sam needed the land in Seal Beach where the

old Sam’s Seafood stood, at 2501 Coast Highway, for its weapons

depot.

This forced the restaurant to relocated where it is today on

Pacific Coast Highway and they even brought with them their famous

Sword Fish landmark for the new location and it sits today on the

roof in their new and bigger location.

* JERRY PERSON is a local historian and longtime Huntington Beach

resident. If you have ideas for future columns, write him at P.O. Box

7182, Huntington Beach, CA 92615.