Mackenzie Smith’s experiences at the Bartholomew County 4-H Fair over the past nine years have ranged from showing goats to cake decorating.

This year, they’ll be a bit more regal.

The 18-year-old Columbus East senior emerged from a field of 15 contestants to be crowned the 2019 Bartholomew County 4-H fair queen.

“I can’t wait to experience the fair in a new way since I’ve been there so long,” said Smith, who also said she’s looking forward to building new or strong friendships with members of her court.

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Smith, daughter of Tod and Jeni Smith, was crowned Sunday by last year’s queen, Madelyn Steinwedel, at the Columbus North Judson Erne Auditorium. The pageant’s audience size was estimated at about 500 by auditorium director John Johnson.

When Smith heard her name announced as the queen, the only word that could describes her emotions at the time was “amazed,” she said.

“I wouldn’t have expected it,” Smith said. “All the other girls did an amazing job. I thought they all deserved it.”

Smith received an enthusiastic response during the evening wear competition when she was asked her to name her favorite quote.

Without hesitation, Smith quoted the words of former NBA player Tim Duncan: “Good, better, best — never let it rest, until your good is better and your better is best.”

After describing 4-H as a huge part of her life, Smith said she welcomes this opportunity to give back to the organization, and “be a positive role model for all of the other 4-H’ers.”

The queen and her three-member court will spend the week at the Bartholomew County Fair, July 5-13.

Smith, who will receive a scholarship and various other honors from local businesses, also will represent Bartholomew County at the Indiana State Fair Queen pageant.

The first runner-up was Riley Coers, the 18-year-old daughter of Brad and Carey Coers who graduated last spring from Columbus East High School. Involved in several activities, Coers has been a 4-H member for two years.

What was perhaps the biggest surprise of the evening was two daughters of Chad and Debbie Sims were awarded three of the pageant’s top five honors.

Claudia Sims, 19, was named both Miss Congeniality and third runner-up, while her 17-year-old sister, Chloe Sims, was named second runner-up. Claudia Sims is currently a sophomore at Purdue University, while Chloe will be a senior at Columbus East High School this August.

The sisters had practiced together for the competition, including asking each other interview questions and doing mock interviews, Claudia Sims said.

“We practiced being on-stage on our front porch, and pretending we were talking to an audience,” she said. “But we had a great time doing it.”

While Chloe Sims was all smiles, she seemed to be more excited for her big sister than she was for herself.

“She always wanted to be on the court, and she got two titles,” Chloe Sims said. “It really made me feel good for her.”

The theme of Sunday’s pageant, “Heroes in the Heartland,” prompted the 15 contestants to make their first stage appearance dressed as the hero of their choice.

While a trio of teens paid tribute to their fathers or grandfathers, three others saluted farmers. But there were also a number of choices that reflected strong, independent women from history, such as race car driver Janet Guthrie, the first American female physician Elizabeth Blackwell and Rosie the Riveter.

To ensure impartiality, the pageant was judged by three out-of-county residents.

As the judges met backstage to make their decisions, Steinwedel was given the time to reflect on not only her time as fair queen, but also as a 10-year 4-H club member.

Among the fond memories she shared from her reign was meeting former NASCAR champion Tony Stewart, participating in a dance party in the grandstands and riding in a monster truck.

But Steinwedel said her favorite experience was bonding with younger 4-H members who taught her not to take life so seriously.

“4-H was more than just about the projects,” the outgoing fair queen said. “It was about a thousand life lessons I learned along the way, the friendships I made and the memories I will treasure forever.”

Steinwedel advised that Smith “take every opportunity to experience something new, enjoy every minute and always keep a smile on your face.”

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Who: Mackenzie Smith

What: 2019 Bartholomew County 4-H Fair queen

Age: 18

Parents:  Todd and Jeni Smith

Education: Senior at Columbus East High School 

Community activities: Dance Marathon committee; LEAD Mentors; St. Peter’s Lutheran Church member; Columbus East Unified track and field; Student Assembly.

4-H Activities: Member for nine years; has participated in goats, arts and crafts, photography, gift wrapping and cake decorating.

Honors/awards: National Honor Society; National Spanish Honor Society; National Art Honor Society; numerous Grand Champion awards throughout her 4-H career.   

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HOPE — The Indiana Rural Letter Carriers Association Museum has a new, permanent home in the town of Hope after a four-year absence.

The building at 638 Main St. has been acquired to serve as the new home of the Letter Carriers museum, according to an announcement from long-time Yellow Trail Museum leader Barb Johnson.

Located immediately south of the Yellow Trail, the building formerly served as a studio for Michael Arford, a highly-decorated Indiana State Police master trooper who became a professional photographer after retiring from law enforcement in 1993. Arford died in September 2017 at the age of 78.

For several years, the Letter Carriers museum was housed in a tiny, brown, wood-frame building on the northwest side of the town square to commemorate that Hope has the the longest continuous rural mail delivery service in the state, which dates to October 1896.

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It was believed for a time that Hope had the longest continuous service in the entire country, but a number of historians believe that honor goes to Charles Town, West Virginia, which was the hometown of the U.S. Postmaster General in 1896.

But the municipally-owned building had problems. For example, there was no climate control, which made the building prone to insect infestation. In addition, the sunlight that came through the large exhibit windows damaged a number of fragile exhibits.

Another factor was the annual Hope Heritage Days, which had grown so large that organizers said they needed the prime space on the northwest side of the square occupied by the museum.

As part of a $100,000 town square beautification project, the small structure was demolished in 2015 after a variety of different organizations, including the Hawcreek Heritage Arts Center, agreed to house some of the exhibits.

But in recent years, the Yellow Trail Museum has become the major caretaker for the artifacts, Johnson said.

While the Arford building was acquired by the Yellow Trail Museum for $42,500, “now comes the time when we have to beg for grants to see what help we can get for necessary changes and improvements,” Johnson said.

Since the acquisition was just announced June 18, Johnson said it’s too early to begin speculating on when the new museum will open.

“It will depend on how quickly money comes in, and how fast we can work,” she said.

Many artifacts will remain in secure storage until building repairs and renovations are completed, Johnson said.

Some of the most valuable items trace their heritage to Hope. They include two enclosed mail delivery carriages that are believed to have been made by the Neligh Co. of Hope.

Other exhibits include Hope carrier E.J. Spaugh’s cash and supply box, which he used from 1902 to 1934, as well as a tin foot warmer used by late 19th-century mail carrier Nella Drybread of Edinburgh.

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For those who wish to assist with improvements to the building purchased to be the new home of the Indiana Rural Letter Carriers Association Museum, call the Yellow Trail Museum at 812-546-8020.

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