(MSF) – That’s a Lot of Beef Traditional Geocache
(MSF) – That’s a Lot of Beef
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The MSF (Michigan State Fairgrounds) series of caches will focus on historical landmarks on this historic site.
The first official Michigan State Fair was held in 1849, which is claimed by the state of Michigan to be the oldest state fair in the United States. The first fair was held in Detroit, Michigan. Subsequent fairs were held in other cities until it received its permanent home in 1905 at the Michigan State Fairgrounds in Detroit. In 1904, Joseph L. Hudson, together with three of his associates, decided to give the State Fair its permanent home. They formed the State Fair Land Company, which acquired 135 acres between 7½ and 8 Mile Roads, east of Woodward Avenue. Because Hudson had no interest in running the fair, he sold the land to the Michigan State Agricultural Society for one dollar on April 18, 1905. The Agricultural Society accepted the land then purchased an additional 32 acres, extending the fairgrounds to 167 acres. The state fair ran at this site until 2009, when state funding was cut. From 2010-2013, this property remained largely unused until a new shopping plaza was installed on this site.
Not much is known about the 1,000lb statue of a bull that resided on the Michigan State Fairgrounds. It was donated by the now-defunct Van Dyke Manor Restaurant and Banquet Center on Van Dyke at 14 Mile Road in Sterling Heights. It has a tag stating it was the 499th giant bull created by a Sparta, WI company. The statue began its career painted as a Hereford and later was repainted as an Angus. And, in 2012 with the sale of the State Fair property, it was moved to Imlay City.
Picture source: Waymarking.com
Per an article in The County Press May 5, 2012:
Nobody seems to be quite sure how long he stood outside the Coliseum on the Michigan State Fairgrounds, but he was there long enough for the restaurant that donated him to go out of business and the fair that gave him a home to become a historical footnote. Now the 1,000-pound fiberglass bull that Ian Kempf calls “the last iconic item left” on the grounds of the defunct Michigan State Fair has a new home — the Eastern Michigan State Fairground in Imlay City.
Please feel free to share any stories you may have of the fairgrounds in your logs!
Although this is a shiny new plaza, always be aware of your surroundings.
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