Corn Boil
The VFW hosted an annual corn boil from 1947 until 1967. The event drew thousands of people, estimated from 12,000 to 17,000 during the 1960s.
1947
The first Corn Boil was established to raise funds for the newly organized Galena chapter or "Pup Tent" of the "Military Order of the Cootie."
"The Military Order of the Cootie of the United States (MOC, or simply Military Order of the Cootie) is a national honor degree membership association separately constituted as a subordinate and as an auxiliary order chartered by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW)." - Wikipedia
A "Pup Tent" is a local chapter of Cootie.
TARFU is an acronym for "things are really [fouled] up."
"Cootie" is slang for the head lice that infested soldiers in the trenches of WWI. The Cooties were chartered in 1920.
Hughlett's Bottom is at the end of Dewey Avenue. This would be the only Corn Boil held there.
1948
The second annual Corn Boil was held at Recreation Park and served up 2 tons of corn "dipped in buckets of hot butter."
The Cooties were now calling themselves the "FUBAR Pup Tent," an acronym for "[fouled] up beyond all recognition."
Featured were a bubble gum contest and other "contests for the kiddies."
The 1947 Corn Boil was given an upgrade; the 1947 article above reports "an estimated 800 persons visited the bottom," but in 1948 the Gazette reports that the 1947 event "was attended by several thousand persons."
1949
Year three saw 5,000 attendees eat 6 tons of sweet corn dipped in 200 pounds of Medow Gold butter!
A dance followed at the Royal Palais.
1950
1950 added more games for the "kiddies," and a pie eating contest.
Everything was "FREE! FREE! FREE!" except admission, which set you back 10 cents.
1951
1951 brought gloom but not doom to the annual Corn Boil, but attendance was down to 4,100 from 5,000 in 1950.
Do you suppose the local police will allow us to have trap shooting at Rec' Park in 2026?
1952
In 1952, news of the upcoming Corn Boil made the front page on "Auguust" 28.
The success of the Corn Boil helped the VFW club to pay off their "Ranch House" on Buck Hill Road, with money left over to contribute to Recreation Park improvements!
