Douglas County Historical Society presents Mansfield Museum’s “Play-Day History”.
Mansfield’s “Play-Day” grew from a history of hard-work, family, friends and celebration.
In 1909, when Mansfield was officially incorporated as a city, automobiles were a rarity (being from a new, emerging technology) as horses were still the transportation standard.
2006 Past Play Day Photo Request.
In 2006, Mae Beard coordinated with about 10 families from Mansfield gathering each of their photos and newspaper clippings from past Play Days to help preserve the history.
Mae put each family’s precious collections into large letter-sized envelopes and numbering all in a list with a description for each took a good amount of time.
This page is dedicated to Mae and Harry Beard, Mansfield “Super-Heroes”!
Click Here for more info about Harry and Mae Beard.
All photos and newspaper clippings used in the slide-show are available below in the Video Images section.
Click the play button below to start the slide-show video.
IF the video goes to fast, and you would like to spend more time,
THEN continue down page to the Video Images section to view and save images.
Era-appropriate music, in most instances, is played in the background so turn-up your speakers!
Mayor Tom Snell, and other community leaders at the time, had pursued a local event coordinator for nearly 5 years to host an event at Mansfield.
Finally, in 2007, they got their wish!
A 3-day event with motorcycle enthusiasts unfolded during Play Day 2007.
Holy smokes folks, the 2007 Play Day Celebration had all of the following:
This event turned out to be HUGE!
Scroll down the page for photos and video.
Friday
9 am – Rally HQ opens at the Senior Center Building
12 noon – Beer Garden opens at Town Bar & Grill
Get acquainted and vendor shopping
1pm – Motorcycle Show
2pm – Short Track ~ Practice
4pm – Motorcycle burn outs
5pm – Stunt riders
6pm – Shawngo Bongo Band
Chamber & Cheerleader Outdoor Supper
8pm – The Edgar Winter Band
9:30 – Too Slim and the Tail Draggers
Saturday
6 am – Town Bar & Grill is serving breakfast
8 am – Sunflower Café is open
9 am – Rally HQ opens at the Senior Center Building
Arkansas Travelers perform Bluegrass on Main Street
10am – Poker Run ~ Motorcycle Show and Parade line up
Antique & Racing Motorcycle show at the Museum
Beer garden is open at Town Bar& Grill
11am – Mansfield Play Day Parade with the Cossacks M/C Stunt Team
12 noon – Short track races
1pm – Motorcycle Rodeo on Main Street
2pm – Drag Racing and Yakima Stunt Team at the Air Field
3pm – Mansfield Play Day 2007 presents Don Emerson
4pm – Motorcycle burn outs
8pm – Terry Hardesty and the Eagle River Band
There is a $10.00 advance or $15.00 at the gate donation.
Proceeds go to the Mansfield Museum
11pm – Shawngo Bongo back at camp with Wet Tee contest
Sunday
9am – Church Service with the Gospel Outreach
Rally Camp is open 24 hrs.
Schedule is subject to change as more info becomes available.
American Custom Cycles will be our Judge for this year Motorcycle Show.
Here is a video from the 2007 Mansfield Play Day made by 2 young men from the Methow Valley, Everett & “Tater”.
A big stage was needed, with lights and easy access, so it was built.
Town Toyota was the main sponsor of the 2007 Mansfield Play Day event.
Town Toyota asked Terry Lee Hardesty and Arkansas Travelers to perform live at their dealership in East Wenatchee, promoting the Mansfield Event.
Town Toyota happened to have one of Willie Nelson’s touring buses, the “Red-Headed Stranger”, on their lot for sale.
They agreed to allow the bus to be driven to Mansfield for the 2007 Play Day Event, where it was displayed for an entire month. A deal was nearly reached between Town Toyota and some local wheat farmers, but alas the bus was returned to the East Wenatchee lot.
The Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the 2007 Play Day celebration will go down in infamy as being a fun week-end for most.
The Edgar Winter Band performed as the main act of the day.
Edgar loved talking about the local farming history here.
… and on Sunday they held Church Services, then departed back to the real world!
Mae Delica Mercer Beard
Birth – 29 Jun 1928 Spirit Lake, Idaho
Death – 17 Jan 2014
Burial – Mansfield Cemetery
Mae D. Beard, 85, of Mansfield, WA,
passed away Friday, January 17, 2014, at the Holy Family Hospital in Spokane, WA, with her husband and two daughters by her side.
She was born on June 29, 1928, in Spirit Lake, ID to Thomas and Leota Mercer.
After losing her father at the young age of five, the family moved to Mansfield and she was raised by her mother.
Mae attended school in Mansfield and graduated in 1947.
She married Harold Beard in 1957, and they raised two daughters, Diane and Jacqueline.
Mae was a loving mother and wife, and a gifted homemaker.
She sewed beautiful clothes and dance attire for her daughters and created a cozy home with her hand-crafted decorations.
She enjoyed playing the piano, singing and dancing with her husband.
Mae was a fierce competitor when playing cards, board games and Ping-Pong.
She was also an avid bowler and sports fan. You could find Mae and Harold at every Mansfield Kernels basketball game, home or away.
Mae was passionate about gardening.
Every year, Mae and her husband raised a large vegetable garden. She loved growing beautiful flowers, especially pink roses.
Harold Clay Beard
Birth – 25 Oct 1919 Waterville
Death – 20 Jun 2021
Burial – Mansfield Cemetery
Harold Clay Beard, 101, of Mansfield, WA,
passed away peacefully, on July 20, 2021.
“Harry” (as he was fondly called by all) was born on November 25, 1919, in Waterville, WA, to Clay Charles and Beryl DeAtley Beard.
He was raised on a family ranch near the top of McNeil Canyon, 11 miles west of Mansfield and attended Mud Springs School through the eighth grade then graduated from Mansfield High School in 1937.
Harry attended Washington State College, where he was a member of the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. He also enjoyed boxing while at college and won several medals. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, in 1941.
For the next 70 years Harry was a proud Cougar fan and stayed true to the Crimson and Gray, win or lose. Go Cougs!
Following graduation, he returned to Mansfield to farm with his dad. This is where he met his true love, Mae Delicia Mercer, and they were married in 1957.
Harry and Mae made their home in Mansfield where they raised two daughters, Diane and Jacqueline.
Harry was a loving husband, a devoted father, a super fun grandfather and a passionate wheat farmer.
Harry successfully raised wheat for over 50 years and loved farming so much he didn’t retire until he was 70 years old.
