Placer County’s Fair exhibit wins multiple awards

Placer County’s State Fair Exhibit won several honors in judging that took place last week during the Fair’s opening. The County’s display won the Best Content Award, the Best Design Award and received the coveted Gold Award. The Counties Exhibit has been a favorite among fair attendees and, according to State Fair officials, draws a large number of visitors.

The exhibit highlights Placer County as a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, wine connoisseurs, epicureans and history buffs. Though Placer County is famous for its rich Gold Rush history, there are many modern day activities that attract thousands each year.

As the exhibit depicts, Placer County offers hikes among pine trees, river rafting, mountain biking, picnicing under live oaks and drinking locally produced wines. Additionally, the exhibit touches on the many historic business districts throughout the county.

“Placer County continues to win awards each year for our State Fair exhibits,” said David Snyder, director of the Office of Economic Development. “The volunteers who put their hearts and creativity into these exhibits are to be commended. We wouldn’t be successful without the nearly 100 volunteers who step forward each year to staff the exhibit, greet visitors and convey the unique Placer County story.

Special thanks this year must go to volunteers Jerri White Turtle and Sam Munoz, full-blooded Sioux and member of the Luiseno Band respectively. Both donned impressive Native American regalia during the judging, providing exceptional flair to this year’s ceremony.”

The region’s bounty of history is well represented by the many museums and historic sites. Some of the notable and easily recognizable features highlighted in the exhibit include four county bridges:

The Fanny Bridge over the Truckee River in Tahoe City overlooks Lake Tahoe’s only outlet. Named after the many fannies that have been visible on people who bend over the bridge to see the trout in the river below since the bridge was built in 1928.

The Foresthill Bridge was built in 1973 to provide a roadway to Foresthill when the canyons below were slated for flooding from the Auburn Dam, which was never built. The tallest bridge in California is a visual icon as it spans the North Fork of the American River.

Located in the heart of the Gold Country, the Iowa Hill Bridge is a one-lane steel cable suspension bridge constructed in 1928. Built to serve as a reliable all-seasons link over the North Fork between the historic towns of Colfax and Iowa Hill, the 150-foot bridge has cables anchored into bedrock and supported by short steel towers resting on stone masonry piers.

Mountain Quarry Bridge aka “No Hands Bridge” was completed in 1912 and was the largest concrete railroad bridge in the world. It was built by Pacific Portland Cement Company to transport limestone from a quarry near Cool seven miles to Auburn to connect with the Southern Pacific Rail lines. Service ended in 1939, the rails were scrapped in 1941 for the war effort and today the bridge is used by hikers, runners and equestrians as part of the 100-mile Western States Trail linking Squaw Valley and Auburn.

All fairgoers are encouraged to vote for the People’s Choice Award during the fair, ballots may be obtained at the Friends of the Fair Desk. Placer County has attained this popular prize many times in recent years. The State Fair is held each year at Cal Expo and runs through July 29.

Note: Our SierraFoodWineArt magazine was handed out at the State Fair, along with the official Placer County Welcome Guide, which we publish for the County.

—Placer County