Every week we publish a historic photo highlighting a story from Naperville’s past from the history archives of Naper Settlement.
The Wheatland Plowing Match Association was formed in 1877 as a nod to one of the most physically demanding tasks performed by farmers, and for many years an annual competition provided a friendly outlet for farmers in and near Naperville to compare their skills.
One had to be strong to walk behind two draught horses holding a heavy plow while ensuring a rock did not throw the team off course as the soil was plowed to make it ready for planting.
Good eyesight and a high level of concentration were essential. Obviously, such skills were highly valued so plowing matches became a way to highlight this and to praise those who excelled at it.
The matches became popular in North America in the 19th century, but plowing competitions actually date back to the late 18th century in Great Britain.
What started as neighborly competition locally grew to include many of the hallmarks of a county fair. There were exhibits of farm machinery; a ladies’ fair; a children’s parade; booths that sold home-made candy, knives and dish cloths; refreshment tents; ballgames; an auction; live music; and king and queen contest.
Six townships — DuPage, Plainfield, Wheatland, Naperville, Lisle, Oswego — formed the Wheatland Plowing Match Association, which was founded on July 15, 1877, when 12 men met at the Spaulding schoolhouse.
Henry Mussey was chosen its president, A.S. Thomas the secretary-treasurer and James Patterson the major supporter.
The first competition was held Sept. 22, 1877, when 16 plowmen competed for $44 in prize money before a cheering crowd of 250.
On the association’s fifth anniversary, the competition was open to “everyone in the United States” and a colt show was added. Fifteen competitors tested their plowing skills in front of 1,000 people.
A plow match was not held in 1884 because Patterson was on an extended trip abroad. There were other years when the event was canceled as well — 1893 because of the World’s Fair in Chicago, 1918 because of World War I and 1943-45 because of World War II.
A women’s department with exhibits of baked goods and needlework was added to the event in 1887, a gasoline-powered plow was exhibited in 1909 and a face-off between a tractor and horse-drawn plows took took place in 1913.
A record crowd of 18,000 attended the 1921 event. Women were in attendance that day, but it wasn’t until 1928 that they were allowed to compete.
The final year for horse-drawn plows was in 1939. Homer Lapp, a three-time champ, drove the last team of horses.
The plowing matches featured live entertainment, like Bub and His Boys, who are featured in today’s photo from 1957.
Harold “Bub” Goodwick started in music with the Glen Victorian Band in the 1920s. In the 1930s, he met Tom Owens at the WLS Barn Dance and they formed the Tom Owens Cowboys in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, performing together until Goodwick sold his interest in 1949 and moved to Illinois.
Goodwick rebuilt his band with son, Donovan, and Ernie Basler. Jack Curran joined in 1953. Over the years, many local young musicians would play with them as they made the circuit of fairs, gymnasiums, barns and restaurants throughout Wisconsin and Illinois.
Plowing matches continued through the mid-20th century even though more and more farm fields were being sold to make room for suburban housing developments.
The final plow match was held in 1976.
In 1981, a committee made up of local farmers formed to solicit donations for the Naperville Riverwalk. A fundraising pig roast was held Sept. 7, 1981, was attended by 500 at the home of Wilburt and Ruth Hageman.
Money collected help pay for the Farmers’ Plaza monument, featuring the names of 331 local farm families, which was dedicated Sept. 3, 1984. It can be found on the Naperville Riverwalk off Eagle Street, east of the Paddleboat Quarry.
In 1990, a “new” Wheatland Plowing Match Association was formed in an effort to preserve Naperville’s farming history.
The group had about 250 members and held an annual meeting, pig roast and spring social until it disbanded in 2014.
You can find a memorial to the Wheatland Plowing Match Association on 119th Street, about a quarter-mile east of Route 59.
Andrea Field is the curator of history at Naper Settlement. For more information, go to www.NaperSettlement.org. Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
