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Controversy over Mills County Fair Queen

I explained this to a guy on Tuesday as we were discussing the inefficiency of state government. He couldn't believe we were beholden to this system.
Most states east of the Rocky Mountains have dozens of small, sparsely populated counties. Illinois has over 50 counties with a population less than 25,000 people.

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Do you know why Iowa has so many?

Because as sub jurisdictions were being created post-statehood, the criteria required every county seat to be no more than a half-day horse ride to all residents residing within that county, thereby allowing farmers to conduct government business and return home to their farms without requiring an overnight stay.


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I have heard a similar thing about Indiana counties that they are the distance you could cover in 1 day's horse ride.

Indiana has 92 counties for the record.
 
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How do the Fair Queens in Indiana compare to the Fair Queens in Iowa?

I would say we do better although they apparently don't do a better job keeping the websites updated because despite all the fairs being over most only show their 2021 winners.

St. Joseph County Fair 2021 (where I live now)

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LaPorte County Fair 2021 - County I grew up in

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Elkhart County Fair 2022 - One of the largest county fairs in the country. County right next to ours

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I would say we do better although they apparently don't do a better job keeping the websites updated because despite all the fairs being over most only show their 2021 winners.

St. Joseph County Fair 2021 (where I live now)

Queen-Winners.jpg



LaPorte County Fair 2021 - County I grew up in

5r8a1060.jpg


Elkhart County Fair 2022 - One of the largest county fairs in the country. County right next to ours

62db5c57a7d0a.image.jpg
Some of those kids look like they're 12 years old.
 
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Going to court to get reinstated as county fair queen is kind of lame.

Ratting out a county fair queen by emailing the board of directors a picture of her holding a liquor bottle for a staged pic at a wedding reception is even more lame.

I see no winners here.
I started the thread because I thought that both sides were stupid. I don't understand the desire to be fair queen, but I think the fair board is over reacting.

Now back to the usual HROT silliness.
 
Georgia says "hold my beer"

159 counties and not a square or rectangle for any of them.

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Miller County(Southwest corner, 2nd tier up) came damn close to being a rectangle. It seems as though there was a tree in the way while the guy was walking the Southern border so he just took a step to the left and continued straight.
 
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County lines were drawn when the fastest mode of transportation was horseback.

The number of residents wasn't a consideration. The distance to the county seat was.
 
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