Ag Society/Fairgrounds

Fillmore County Agricultural Society

1872 The Fillmore County Agricultural Society was organized May 16.  This was a period of adversity--grasshoppers, dry weather and a lack of resources.  They met in Fairmont.

1875 80 acres of ground was purchased by the Society.  S ½ of NW ¼ Sec 36 T7 R3W  According to the Fillmore County Story,  the first fair was held at Fairmont and moved to Geneva in 1877.

1875 Three buildings were built.

1890 The second hall was built.

1909 The first grandstand was built.  

1910 Cattle, hog, and horse barns were built and moved from the south and east.

1914 The County Fair Association purchased the old wooden fire house and moved it to the fairgrounds.

1919 The second grandstand was built using lumber from the first grandstand at a cost of about $1,200.

1921 Cattle and hog barns were rebuilt and enlarged.

1921 Modern restrooms were added.

1925 The “Anniversary Hall” was built.  It cost $10,000 and had two stories and a basement.  It was 90 x 60 feet.  The basement was to be used as a dining hall, after which the floor would be cleared for dancing.  The first and second floors were designed for exhibits.

1925 First Congregational Church built a new church building and used the old lumber to build a building at the fairgrounds at a cost of $224.21.  The women of the church cooked and served meals at the fair.  It was used by many groups through the years as a food stand.

1938 Fifteen minutes after the evening show in the grandstand, the grandstand caught fire from one of the concessionaires. A gas stove exploded.  The grandstand  quickly burned to the ground.

1939 A third grandstand was built at a cost of about $1,800.  Labor was volunteered.

1956 Two Quonsets were built due to the increased interest in 4-H and FFA.  

1959 Another animal shelter was built.  The buildings that were built were constructed with financial aid from Ak-Sar-Ben grants.  Irrigation businesses donated pipe for fences.  Government grants provided trees for shelter and wildlife.

1988 The Anniversary Hall was demolished and replaced with a large Agriculture Hall at a cost of $103,000.  It was used during the fair and by other groups on a rental basis.

2000 The Schropfer building was donated by Francis Schropfer.  It was used for the pancake feeds and storage throughout the year.

2002 The Fair Board helped erect the sheep barn.

2006 The Ag Hall was air-conditioned.

2010 A building was donated by Advanced BioEnergy Ethanol.  It included an office for the Extension, 4-H, and housing for the small animals during the fair.  It was used for storage when not in use.

2012 An addition was built onto the Agriculture Hall featuring a new kitchen and more bathrooms and storage.

2013 An audio/visual sound system was installed in the building.

This was ongoing as of the last posting.