Great Northwestern Fair

“Great Northwestern Fair” (2001)

Muralist: Don Gray

Location: Locust St. at W. 5th St. 

Before modern entertainment complexes, fairs like this brought excitement, competition, and crowds from across the region. After the Woodlawn Mineral Springs Resort property was developed into the Great Northwestern Fair in 1898, it became a major annual attraction with horse racing, carnival rides, side shows, dancing, balloon ascensions, and the popular “Shooting the Chutes.” Famous race horses, including Dan Patch and Minor Heir, were among its celebrated draws.

This mural captures the energy of an era when the fairgrounds were one of Sterling’s great gathering places. It reflects a time when entertainment was public, grand, and shared — a civic tradition that brought people together year after year.