Jefferson National Expansion Administrative History

¹It should be noted that attendance figures for the VP Fair come from non-NPS sources, and have been disputed by the Statistical Branch of the Denver Service Center.

²Information on the early Veiled Prophet Fairs is taken from "The Veiled Prophet: A St. Louis Tradition," part of JEFF's Museum Gazette series, by Jennifer McNeely, September, 1991; The Veiled Prophet's Gifts: A Saint Louis Legacy by John L. Drew III, pp. 15-20; and Lion of the Valley by James Neal Primm, pp. 394-395, 417 and 427.

³Ibid. Moore's poem was titled Lalla Rookh: An Oriental Romance, and the original Veiled Prophet lived in Khorassan, Persia (modern Iran).

⁴Ibid.

⁵See "'America's Biggest Birthday Party,' the Ten Year History of the V.P. Fair," by Jeff Dunlap, written for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, included in a memo of June 11, 1990, JEFF Historian's Files, p. 3. Important information on VP Fairs during the 1980s and early 1990s may be found in JEFF Files A8227, and files 79-90-0002 box 4 and 79-89-0003 box 3, in the Federal Record Center, Kansas City, Missouri.

⁶Interview with former JEFF Superintendent Jerry Schober, May 8, 1992, conducted by JEFF Historian Bob Moore.

⁷"America's Biggest Birthday Party" by Jeff Dunlap, p. 3.

⁸Interview with former Superintendent Jerry Schober, May 8, 1992.

⁹"America's Biggest Birthday Party" by Jeff Dunlap, p. 3.

¹⁰Special Use Permit, VP Fair and JEFF, 1985. JEFF Files, A8227.

¹¹Interview with former Superintendent Jerry Schober, May 8, 1992. See also Chapter 4, Part II, on Grounds Maintenance in this administrative history.

¹²However, vending stands continued to sell alcoholic beverages, in paper cups, on the grounds.

¹³Letter from JEFF Superintendent Jerry Schober to Ken Marshall, Task Force on Planning Committee, VP Fair Foundation, August 21, 1989, JEFF Files, A8227.

¹⁴"America's Biggest Birthday Party" by Jeff Dunlap, p. 2.

¹⁵See Chapter 4, Section II, on Grounds Maintenance in this administrative history.

¹⁶Memorandum, JEFF Superintendent Jerry Schober to Midwest Regional Director Charles Odegaard, February 17, 1984, JEFF Files, A8227.

¹⁷Memorandum from Associate Director for Park Operations Stanley Albright to Midwest Regional Director Odegaard, May 29, 1985, JEFF Files, A8227.

¹⁸Letter from JEFF Superintendent Jerry Schober to Charles Wallace, Chairman, VP Foundation, March 3, 1987. JEFF Files, A8227.

¹⁹Ibid.

²⁰Interview with former Superintendent Jerry Schober, May 8, 1992. See also Chapter 10, Law Enforcement and Safety, in this administrative history.

²¹JEFF Operations Evaluation, Midwest Regional Office, May 1982 p. 22, JEFF Historian's Files.

²²"Program On 'Heritage Of St. Louis' Theme To Boost 2nd Fair," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 23, 1982, p. 3A. Copies of newspaper articles cited in this chapter may be found in the Newspaper Clipping files, JNEM Archives.

²³"VP Fair," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 12, 1982.

²⁴Mayor Vincent Schoemehl was quoted as saying: "The VP Fair was a tremendous success, and a total community effort made it so successful. I look forward to a VP Fair next year." James O'Flynn, president of the Regional Commerce and Growth Association, praised the fair, saying: "Its great for the community. The Fair has a tremendous impact economically on the St. Louis area." Edward A. Ruesing, president of Downtown St. Louis, Inc., called it a "Marvelous party — the finest and largest party the city has ever seen." See "VP Fair a hit with just about everyone," St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 7, 1982.

²⁵"To The Cleanup Crews Belong The Spoils," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 6, 1982, pp. 1 and 6.

²⁶"VP Fair Hires Engineer To Study Arch Grounds," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 13, 1982, pp. 1 and 4.

²⁷"VP Fair a hit with just about everyone," St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 7, 1982.

²⁸The widow of one of the young men who was shot to death later unsuccessfully sued the VP Fair Foundation for $1 million. See "Widow Sues For $1 Million Over Shooting At VP Fair," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 22, 1983.

²⁹"Mailbag," St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 15, 1982.

³⁰Quotes from letters to the editor, "letters," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 14, 1982.

³¹Quote from a letter to the editor, "Mailbag," St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 14, 1982.

³²"Too Much of a Good Thing?," St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 7, 1982, p. 8A.

³³"letters," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 11, 1982. It was estimated that one million people were on the Arch grounds at 10:05 a.m. on July 4. "VP Fair Fosters World's Fair Idea," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 3, 1982, p. 9C.

³⁴See "VP Fair Fosters World's Fair Idea," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 3, 1982, p. 9C, and "Official Sure VP Fair Will be at Arch," St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 9, 1982 p. 13A.

³⁵"1983 VP Fair to brim with delights fit for a king — or a mere prophet," St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 7-8, 1983 p. 3A; "Fair," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 8, 1983, pp. 1 and 20A; "City's Plan Aims At Keeping Up With VP Fair's Tons of Trash," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 28, 1983, p. 5A.

³⁶"VP Fair, Park Service Dispute Use of Arch Area," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 10, 1982, p. 3A.

³⁷"America's Biggest Birthday Party," by Jeff Dunlap, p. 2.

³⁸Ibid, p. 4.

³⁹The VP Fair Foundation's last gift to the city was in 1988. By 1993, successful fairs had erased the foundation's debt. See the St. Louis Post-Democrat, June 27, 1993, p. 1.

⁴⁰The budget was $1.4 million. See "Program On 'Heritage Of St. Louis' Theme To Boost 2nd Fair," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 23, 1982, p. 3A. Important information including special use permits, specifics on grounds damage and cleanup costs may be found in JEFF Files, A8227. Separate folders have been created for each year of the VP Fair.

⁴¹"America's Biggest Birthday Party," by Jeff Dunlap, pp. 3-4.

⁴²Ibid., p. 4.

⁴³Ibid., p. 5; "1983 VP Fair to brim with delights fit for a king — or a mere prophet," St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 7-8, 1983 p. 3A; "Fair," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 8, 1983, pp. 1 and 20A.

⁴⁴Ibid.

⁴⁵"East St. Louis man charged in shooting at close of VP Fair," St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 6, 1983, p. 6A.

⁴⁶"Chances Shine For VP Fair Next Year," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 6, 1983 p. 3A; "Grounds for optimism on future fairs," St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 6, 1983 p. 7A.

⁴⁷"1984 VP Fair Will Be Bigger — And Different," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 13, 1984 pp. 1 and 20A.

⁴⁸"Reagan will not attend VP Fair," St. Louis Globe-Democrat, June 26, 1984.

⁴⁹"'Today' answers VP officials' prayers," St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 31, 1984, pp. 1 and 6A; "Look At Us — St. Louis Shows Off On Nationwide Television," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 3, 1984, pp. 1 and 13.

⁵⁰"Escape From Reality: VP Fair's 'national coverage' a mirage," by Ray Hartmann, The Riverfront Times, July 11-17, 1984, p. 2.

⁵¹"VP Fair Complaints," Editorials, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 11, 1984 p. 2B.

⁵²"Workers Tackle Big Mess," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 3, 1984.

⁵³Ibid., pp. 5-6; "Meet me at the fair," St. Louis Globe-Democrat, June 30-July 1, 1984, p. 8A.

⁵⁴"Fair Aftermath: 130 tons of garbage," St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 6, 1984, p. 2A.

⁵⁵"VP Fair Shows Profit Thanks To Increase In Food, Drink Sales," St. Louis Post Dispatch, July 12, 1984, p. 4A.

⁵⁶"Smooth And Spectacular," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 6, 1984, p. 2B.

⁵⁷"It was the fairest of the fairs," St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 8, 1985, pp. 1 and 9A.

⁵⁸Ibid., pp. 6-7, and JEFF Superintendent's Annual Report for 1985, p. 1.

⁵⁹"VP Fair," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 6, 1985. See also "5th VP Fair was for families," St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 9, 1985, pp. 1 and 4A.

⁶⁰"Future VP Fair sites uncertain," St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 8, 1985, p. 11A; letter, Russell E. Dickenson, Director of the National Park Service, to Vincent C. Schoemehl Jr., Mayor of St. Louis, February 2, 1985; and draft memo to the Regional Directors of the Southeast, Southwest, and Rocky Mountain Regions from Midwest Regional Director Donald Castleberry, on the 1986 VP Fair account and billing, JEFF Files A8227.

⁶¹"America's Biggest Birthday Party," by Jeff Dunlap, p. 7; 1986 V.P. Fair Foundation Annual Report, JEFF Files A8227.

⁶²"Morning After — Fair's Legacy Is 316 Tons of Trash," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 8, 1986 p. 3A.

⁶³Ibid.

⁶⁴"Police Busy, But Crowd Manageable," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 7, 1986.

⁶⁵"Crime at fair 'exaggerated,' officials say,'" St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 8, 1986, p. 5A; "City Seeks Regional Plan For Security At VP Fair," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 20, 1986, p. 8A; "VP Fair's Security Plans Are Outlined," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 8, 1988, p. 3A.

⁶⁶"VP Fair's Security Plans Are Outlined," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 8, 1988, p. 3A.

⁶⁷JEFF Superintendent's Annual Report for 1987, p. 1.

⁶⁸"Light Touch For 4th Is Objective Of ABC," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 16, 1987; Letter from producer Marty Pasetta to Charles H. Wallace, President of the VP Fair Foundation, July 22, 1987, JEFF Files A8227.

⁶⁹Interview with Jerry Schober, September 1, 1993.

⁷⁰Ibid., and Memorandum, JEFF Superintendent Schober to Midwest Regional Director Donald Castleberry, February 12, 1988; "America's Biggest Birthday Party," by Jeff Dunlap, pp. 7-8. Over ten inches of rain fell during the week of the event. The VP Fair Foundation reimbursed the NPS $230,000 for new trees, grounds renovation, and extra services. See also Chapter 4, Part II, on Grounds Maintenance in this administrative history.

⁷¹See letters included in JEFF Files, A8227, in reference to the damage. Quotes such as these were taken from the letters:

"The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial is a NATIONAL park and should not be defaced for months (or at all) for a celebration of one local organization. We sincerely hope that the VP Fair will never again be held at the Arch. Forest Park belongs to the city and is plenty large [enough] for that celebration."

"What do hundreds of junk laden booths, rock stars . . . and thousands upon thousands of people roaming around roasting in the sun, or getting drenched and sliding around a muddy fair ground (which used to be a lovely green lawn) have to do with July 4th?"

"I am very angry that $100,000 damage is allowed to be done every summer to the Arch grounds by the VP Fair."

⁷²"No Losses, No Gains At VP Fair," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Dec. 20, 1987; "Park Official: 1988 'Crucial' In Decision On VP Fair Site," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 20, 1988, p. 1.

⁷³"Park Official . . . ," June 20, 1988, p. 6.

⁷⁴JEFF Superintendent's Annual Report for 1988, pp. 1 and 10.

⁷⁵Jerry Berger, in his column in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, complained that the ratings for these specials were low, and that too much emphasis was placed on these productions. Perhaps this was true (they scored a 6.4 rating and a 14 share, which means only 14% of the people in the United States who were watching television were tuned in to the St. Louis special). The point was that the St. Louis message was getting out to the public. Even if they didn't tune in, people who scanned their TV Guides and newspapers around the country knew that something worthy of national attention was happening in St. Louis. See St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 18, 1988, p. 1E.

⁷⁶"Bush Pays Visit To VP Fair," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 5, 1988, pp. 1 and 14. The article continued:

Despite the extra security, the vice president did not appear inhibited as he shook hands with and hugged new citizens at the reception and held several of their children.

Dressed in casual clothing, Bush strolled leisurely through lines of the immigrants, escorted by perspiring Secret Service agents who left their suit jackets in place to conceal their guns and radios. . . .

Bush was joined at the reception by Gov. John Ashcroft. The governor, along with Bush's wife, Barbara Bush, and Ashcroft's wife, Janet Ashcroft, joined him later on the main stage.

As he stood on a table at the reception, Bush said: "There is nothing more meaningful than greeting new citizens to our country. We're proud of you. We welcome you. You are, indeed, in the land of the free and the home of the brave."

He accepted an official, red VP Fair jacket, sash and hat from Charles H. Wallace, executive vice president of the VP Fair Foundation.

After waiting on the [excursion boat] Becky Thatcher, Bush appeared in front of the growing late-afternoon crowd.

Referring to the fair, he said, "They told me it was this big, and I didn't believe it. They told me it was this much fun, and I didn't believe it."

Bush challenged the audience to be true to the dream of America's founders by keeping the nation strong.

⁷⁷Ibid., p. 1; "America's Biggest Birthday Party," by Jeff Dunlap, pp. 8-9; "Kool And The Gang To Join Lineup Of Stars At VP Fair," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 13, 1988.

⁷⁸"Hot Finale: Sales Up, Damage Down As Fair Ends," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 5, 1988, pp. 1 and 14.

⁷⁹"Kool And The Gang..." June 13, 1988.

⁰⁸For more on fair events see "Learning's In The Limelight At The Fair," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 29, 1988 pp. 1 and 7; "Ready . . . Set . . . Fair Opens," Ibid., July 2, 1988, pp. 1 and 4.

⁸¹"Fair Weather: Pleasant Breezes Aid Large Turnout," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 3, 1988, p. 1.

⁸²Two letters to the editor from a professional worker with disabled people and a disabled citizen praised the fair. See St. Louis Post Dispatch, July 13, 1988 p. 3C.

⁸³JEFF Superintendent's Annual Report for 1988, p. 12; "America's Biggest Birthday Party," by Jeff Dunlap, pp. 8-9.

⁸⁴"15 Blacks Named To VP Fair Panels," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 28, 1988, pp. 1 and 5. The article contained a complete list of the people appointed. It should be noted that African-Americans were not allowed into the Veiled Prophet Balls, even as spectators, in the 19th and early 20th Centuries; these events were totally segregated.

⁸⁵Ibid. The article quoted Rev. Hylton at length.

⁸⁶A change in the name of the event had been discussed, since the appearance of the "veiled prophet" drew immediate comparisons with the hooded figures of the Ku Klux Klan. Despite these allusions, the name was not changed.

⁸⁷"Fairness And The VP Fair," editorial, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 16, 1988.

⁸⁸JEFF Superintendent's Annual Report for 1989, p. 1. The VP Fair Foundation was over $500,000 in debt going into the 1989 fair.

⁸⁹JEFF Superintendent's Annual Report for 1989, p. 1; "America's Biggest Birthday Party," by Jeff Dunlap, pp. 9-10.

⁹⁰JEFF Superintendent's Annual Report for 1990, p. 4; "Fair Well: Cleanup, Complaints Follow Fair," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 6, 1990.

⁹¹"Fair features education theme, family activities," Southwest County Journal, St. Louis County, Missouri, June 27, 1990; "Activities And Exhibits To Mark Education Theme Of VP Fair," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 29, 1990.

⁹²"Visit To U.S. Allows Fair's Guests Of Honor 'To Live History,'" St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 28, 1990; "Young People Of 8 Nations To Visit Fair," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 24, 1990; "Visitors From The Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and South Africa Here," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 29, 1990.

⁹³"Japan TV Captures Fair's 'Unique Culture,'" St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 2, 1990.

⁹⁴"VP Fair Ends With Record Heat," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 5, 1990.

⁹⁵"Fireworks Feature First-Time Shells," Southwest County Journal, St. Louis, Missouri, June 27, 1990.

⁹⁶"Budweiser And TWA Exhibits," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 29, 1990; "Calendar of Events," Ibid.

⁹⁷Temperatures reached 102 degrees on July 4. See "VP Fair," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 5, 1990.

⁹⁸"Is Fair Bad For Tourism?," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 30, 1990; "VP Fair Strikes A Sour Note," by Bill McClellan, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 4, 1990; "Letters From The People," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 10, 1990.

⁹⁹See Chapter 4, Part I, Maintenance, on water intrusion, in this administrative history. According to JEFF Chief of Maintenance Bob Kelly, the fact that the VP Fair was conducted on the roof of the JEFF Visitor Center was not a major factor in these water intrusion problems, although "quick fix" solutions to drainage problems and a re-routing of the drainage system after one of the fairs was. According to Kelly, "Management made band-aid decisions to an area which needed major surgery."

¹⁰⁰JEFF Superintendent's Annual Report for 1991, pp. 1-2.

¹⁰¹"VP Parade Plans New Route, Theme," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 31, 1991.

¹⁰²"VP Fair Entertainment Highlights," The Riverfront Times, August 28 - Sept. 3, 1991; "VP Fair Schedule," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 30, 1991.

¹⁰³"Fair Ready For Those With Disabilities," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 29, 1991.

¹⁰⁴"Family Village," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 30, 1991.

¹⁰⁵"Senior's Day," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 30, 1991.

¹⁰⁶"Afterthoughts On The Fair," and "Letters From The People," St. Louis Post Dispatch, September 11, 1991.

¹⁰⁷"No Fair: Festivities Stopped Short By Storms," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 3, 1991; "Funny Money: Fair's Scrip Lauded, Lambasted," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 2, 1991.

¹⁰⁸"Fair Questions," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 7, 1991.

¹⁰⁹Interview with JEFF Superintendent Gary W. Easton, April 16, 1994, by JEFF Historian Bob Moore.

¹¹⁰"VP Fair Entertainment Highlights," The Riverfront Times, August 28 - September 3, 1991.

¹¹¹The contributions of individual divisions to the VP Fair are discussed in the chapters devoted to those divisions in this administrative history.

¹¹²See Chapter 9, Interpretation, in this administrative history for more on the American Indian Peace Medal collection.

¹¹³Interview with former Superintendent Jerry Schober, May 8, 1992.