Heritage Tours Continue With Scotland County Fair Grounds
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Submitted by Shelia Berkowitz
The “Heritage Tours” continue as part of the “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America” exhibition. The Scotland County Fairgrounds is added to the list of sites scheduled for September 26 and 27, 2025.
The Scotland County Fair Board will be hosting Fall Races & Walkin’ in Memphis BBQ Contest on Friday, September 26, and Saturday, September 27, 2025, at the Fairgrounds located on State Hwy 15 at the U.S. Hwy. 136 junction.
The weekend activities will start on Friday night with races which will continue on Saturday night. The Scotland County Speedway will host the 8th Annual Jim Oliver Memorial featuring modifieds, stock cars, B Mods, Hobby Stocks, and Compacts in five classes.
On Saturday the Heartland BBQ Society, in conjunction with the Fair Board, will host the 6th annual contest which is promoted as “one of the longest, continuously running BBQ contests in Northeast Missouri”. The Society was created by Kelly Ray.
As a new feature to the contest on Saturday, Mayberry Farms and Truck Accessories will sponsor a Kids Q. Classes competing will include ages 11-17 and 10 and under where young people can enter to cook their favorite burger for the judges. There will be $300.00 in prize money.
At 1:00 p.m. the adult competition begins. Each team will present chicken for judging and sampling. Every 45 minutes, teams turn in a different category – chicken, ribs, pork, and brisket.
When visitors enter the contest area, they will receive a ticket which will allow them to vote on their favorite “bite of the day” for the People’s Choice Award. Admission to the BBQ Contest is $10.00. Those attending are encouraged to step out of the grandstand and enjoy the band BootCut on stage. During a band break, they will have an opportunity to meet the BBQ teams and find out the competitors’ standings in the contest.
History of Scotland County Fairgrounds
The Scotland County Agricultural and Mechanical Association, located just south of the Memphis corporation line, is one of the oldest fairs in Missouri according to the “Missouri Genealogy Trails” by L.P. Roberts of Memphis. At the August term of, the county court, in the year 1856, a petition was presented to the county court asking that this fair association be incorporated. The fair has been held annually except for interruptions during the Civil War and in 2020 due to the Covid Pandemic.
While a comprehensive history of the Scotland County fairgrounds was not available from research documents, it can be inferred that the fairgrounds have been a site for agricultural events and entertainment, including an exhibition by aviatrix Ruth Law in 1917, several visits from Ella Ewing, and an appearance from presidential candidate William Jennings Bryant.
According to local oral history, the first fairground was located southeast of Memphis on “Ridge Road”. The Memphis newspaper reported that the grandstand at that site was built in 1869, and the fair was held in that location until 1927. The fairgrounds then moved to the area near the current SCR-1 School District bus shed.
In 1947 the fairgrounds relocated to the area at the junction of State Highway 15 and U.S. Highway 136. It was equipped with good barns, a large grandstand, a hall for 4-H other exhibits, modern restrooms, food stands, and an exceptional race track. The property, which had been purchased from the Sanders’ estate, is the site of the current Scotland County Fairgrounds.
(Thanks to Alisa Kigar for sharing information about the fair. Traditionally 4-H members share this information with those in attendance at “Cowboy Church” which is held on Sunday following the fair’s closing on Saturday night.)
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