Ham loaf, meatballs and 129 years: Inside the Minnesota State Fair's oldest food stand

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Long before deep-fried everything became a Minnesota State Fair tradition, one food stand was already feeding the crowds — and it's still going strong 129 years later.

A taste of fair history

What we know:

The Hamline Church Dining Hall holds the title of the oldest food concession on the Minnesota State Fair grounds. It got its start in 1897, when a group of women from the Hamline Methodist Episcopal Church began selling sandwiches to fair workers as a way to raise money to build a new church.

Over the decades, the dining hall moved through a couple of locations before settling into its current spot in the mid-1930s. Through every move, the atmosphere and hospitality stayed the same.

"You know it's like being in the church basement, you know, where the church ladies are serving you and the church men. So, it's nice," said Mary Bloom, co-chair of the Hamline Church Dining Hall Committee.

Bloom has been volunteering at the dining hall since the 1980s and says the cafeteria-style operation has become something far bigger than a food stand.

"I love the dining hall. I love the tradition. I love the camaraderie," said Bloom.

The dining hall nearly closed for good in the 1960s when fair officials said its wooden building needed upgrades. Church members voted to build a new steel structure to keep it going. At the time, there were about 60 church dining halls at the fair. Now, only two remain.

"We have been so blessed because I'm not sure why us other than we have such wonderful active people who volunteer, who know the importance of keeping this going," said Bloom.

'I can tell you it has kept the church bonded'

What they're saying:

It takes up to 100 volunteers a day to cook the roughly 1,000 meals the dining hall serves daily. Executive Chef Alison Kirwin says it's the food that keeps fairgoers coming back year after year.

"It is a fun place to be out here, and I think that it is a good thing to be a part of the food scene out here for sure," said Kirwin.

The signature dish is the ham loaf, followed closely by the church's take on Swedish meatballs. A few years ago, the dining hall also started partnering with Al's Breakfast in Dinkytown to offer pancakes — and Kirwin says there's often a line out the door for them on many mornings.

"We feed not only people who are coming to just enjoy the fair, but we feed a lot of vendors and people who are here every day and it's a good place for them to come and get a meal that's not fried and on a stick," said Kirwin. "As much as we all like that, but you can't do it every day."

Rev. Heather Grantham of Hamline United Methodist Church says the dining hall offers something the rest of the fairgrounds can't.

"There's a sacred safe spot in this dining hall that it helps people get away from the hustle and bustle of the fair," said Grantham.

And while it's not an official house of worship, for some, breaking bread there is an almost religious experience.

"There's something beautiful about it that we can come together and I don't know how many times Jesus or God gets brought up in here, but the Holy Spirit definitely is here," said Grantham.

Keeping traditions alive

Dig deeper:

For Bloom, the dining hall's longevity is deeply personal and says its a cherished ritual for many fairgoers.

"We keep our traditions because we have to do that. You know, grandpa brought me in here 40 years ago and he ate the ham loaf and I would not eat it. I just couldn't face that ham loaf," said Bloom. "He passed last year and I'm in here to try that darn ham loaf and I love it. You have to keep our traditions."

It's a source of pride she's carried for decades.

"I'm proud, I'm so proud. It's lasted because it's so special. I don't know, it gets in your blood," said Bloom.