Near Urbana in Champaign County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
1950 National and Ohio Plowing Matches
Benson Road and the North Urbana Lisbon Road (SR 54) in Champaign County was the site of the 1950 National and Ohio Plowing Matches and the National Association of Soil Conservation Districts Field Days. The three-day event drew a crowd of nearly 75,000 and was headquartered in the woods of the Edwin (Ned) Kirby farm located a quarter mile north on Benson Road. The National Association of Soil Conservation Districts sponsored the National and Ohio Plowing Matches. The first national matches were held in Mitchellville, Iowa in 1939 and continued until halted by the start of World War II. They resumed in 1945. Ohio's 1950 Champaign County-Union Township National Plowing Matches was the first "National" to be held outside Iowa.
The 1950 National and Ohio Plowing Matches featured a group of fourteen-Buck Creek Valley farmers who acted as hosts for the plowing matches where Urbana's two-time world champion Dean Wilson completed for a third title. It also featured a new activity known as "Wagon Trains," which involved Union Township host farmers who used 125 wagons and tractors to haul the crowds of people and farmers to view the plowing matches, demonstrations, and many conservation projects that covered 2,200 surrounding acres spread over 10 farms. The event also featured five parking fields covering 200 acres and an airfield on the south side and parallel to SR 54, adjacent to Benson Road, for the "flying farmers" who demonstrated seeding, fertilizing, and corn borer control.
Erected 2004 by Union Township Trusteees Virts & Everett Family Farms Schafer & Everhart Family Farms Evans & Kirby Family Farms The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 8-11.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Agriculture. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1950.
Location. 40° 2.016′ N, 83° 40.318′ W. Marker is near Urbana, Ohio, in Champaign County. Marker is at the intersection of Urbana- Lisbon Road (Ohio Route 54) and Benson Road (County Route 179), on the right when traveling west on Urbana- Lisbon Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4999 Ohio Rt 54, Urbana OH 43078, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Pleasant Township Veterans Memorial (approx. 4.9 miles away); Asbury Methodist Church (approx. 5.1 miles away); Asbury Veterans Monument (approx. 5.1 miles away); Capt. Simon Kenton (approx. 5.6 miles away); The Grave Of Simon Kenton (approx. 5.6 miles away); Col. William Ward (approx. 5.7 miles away); John Quincy Adams Ward (approx. 5.7 miles away); Urbana (approx. 5.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Urbana.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 2, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 26, 2015, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. This page has been viewed 459 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on July 26, 2015, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.