High Ridge's Demaree Fair celebrates history By Bill Phelan Of the Suburban Journals Meramec Journal 10/03/2001 06:00 AM History and cultural heritage will be celebrated this weekend in High Ridge. The 11th annual Demaree Fair is Saturday and Sunday with events for the entire family. "It started off trying to get the community involved in the history of the area," said Rhea Milisitch, fair chairman and secretary for the Northwest Historical and Preservation Society. Milisitch says the fair has gotten bigger each year. She estimated that last year's crowd was between two and three thousand people. This year's fair will feature some familiar events and some new ones. The Tallow Hill Trading Post will offer items for sale and feature the lifestyle of the 1840s. Old time craft demonstrations will include rope making, cornhusk dolls, candle dipping and woodworking. Fur tanners and trappers will also display their crafts. Milisitch says the kid's games are always a popular event. The pie-eating contest for kids 11-15 will take place 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Pumpkin painting for children ages 5 to 10 will take place 2 p.m. Sunday. "The trading post has a cannon that shoots Tootsie Rolls," Milisitch said. "The kids always get a big kick out of the candy cannon." Children's games and prizes are sponsored by the High Ridge Optimists Club, which also will serve ham and beans. Kettlecorn and homemade root beer also will be available. Live music will be provided both Saturday and Sunday by the Missouri Fiddlers and Country Music Association. A highlight of the fair will be storyteller Donna Ross. Ross will portray Mrs. Jesse Benton Freemont, who was once the First Lady of the State of Texas. Freemont's father was famed U.S. Sen. Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri. Ross' portrayal of Freemont will take place Sunday at 1:30 and is sponsored by the Missouri Humanities Council. Civil War battle reenactments are set for 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Milisitch says about 75 people will take part in this year's reenactments. The Demaree Fair got its name from Cornelius Demaree, who Milisitch said was a wealthy merchant and landowner in what is now called Old House Springs. Demaree moved to House Springs from Kentucky some time before 1837. He served as postmaster for ten years and was on the local school board. "His old house still stands on Main Street," Milisitch said. Admission for the Demaree Fair is $5 per car, or $1 per individual. Fair hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. The fairgrounds are located at 6848 Highway PP in High Ridge. Desoto Joe/The Record Man