NRHP: Garfield County Frontier Fairgrounds
Contents
Garfield County Frontier Fairgrounds
NRHP Reference #: 85001005
NRHP Listing Date: 19850509
Location
SE edge of Burwell, Garfield County, Nebraska
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Summary
The idea of a permanent rodeo at Burwell was conceived by local real estate man Homer C. Stokes. In 1921 while on a business trip, Stokes attended a rodeo at Norton, Kansas, and decided that Burwell would be a good location for such an event in conjunction with the Garfield County Fair. A corporation was formed, land was purchased, and the erection of permanent structures began. The first rodeo was held in September 1922 and attracted nationwide interest. By the 1930s the rodeo had become one of the major shows on the rodeo circuit. "Nebraska's Big Rodeo" at Burwell is the oldest continuous rodeo in Nebraska and retains most 1922 structures.
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About the National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the country’s official list of historically significant properties. To be eligible for the NRHP a property must generally retain their historic appearance, be at least 50 years old, and have the potential to be documented as historically or architecturally significant at either the local, state, or national level. The National Register of Historic Places is a National Park Service program administered by the Nebraska State Historical Society for the state of Nebraska. Visit the Nebraska State Historical Society's website to learn more about the program.
