In this listing we have a rare, 1892 County Fair children's ticket for Miami County Indiana. I believe the fair took place in Peru Indiana, which is the county seat. On the back of the ticket is a stamped advertisement for the Peru Cycle Exchange, which was an early bicycle store and bicycle manufacturer founded by Frank Miller. The Peru Bicycle Exchange also hosted bicycle tournaments in Peru Indiana. I have seen a ticket to a Peru bicycle tournament dated 1893 with the same Peru Cycle Exchange stamp as this county fair ticket.
On the front of this ticket, F.W. Conradt Sec'y. is listed. This may be Frederick William Conradt, a pharmacist and entrepreneur who moved to Peru Indiana in 1891. Frederick is mentioned in the book "A History of Seneca County Ohio". In this book it states he owned a pharmacy in St. Louis Missouri, which he sold in 1891 and moved to Peru Indiana. He lived in Peru for three years and then moved to Kokomo Ohio where he founded the "Great Western Pottery Company" with his father. They manufactured sanitary pottery. (sinks, toilets, bidets, etc.)
The history of Frank Miller and Frederick Conradt paints a vivid picture of two entrepreneurs attempting to improve commerce in Miami County, Indiana. I do not know how successful the 1892 county fair was, but it certainly gets your imagination going....
I recently purchased a few of these tickets at an antiques auction. I have not been able to find any comparable sales of these tickets over the last 20 years, leading me to believe they are rare (or unique). Please see photos for condition and size information.