Fairgrounds Sites

Kings County Fairgrounds in Hanford received extensive improvements from Works Progress Administration (WPA) workers in the 1930s.  What exactly was done and what remains of the work is unknown.  Photos are of the present fairgrounds.

The Works Progress Administration built the County Fair Exhibition Building at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds in Tyler, MN.

The Los Angeles County Fair was first held in 1922. New Deal agencies extensively improved the grounds in the 1930s. "The Improvements at the Los Angeles County Fair Grounds, W.P. No. 243, W.P. 4456, W.P. 5546, W.P. 9264, W.P. 9562 and W.P. 9740 were sponsored by the County of Los Angeles, for the construction of exhibition, recreation and service facilities and the landscaping of the grounds. The Los Angeles County Fair located in Pomona, California, the heart of the citrus belt, is one of the largest and most popular county fairs in the United States, attracting exhibitors from all over the country. Five...

Early Twin Bridges offered few public gathering places, and so these fifty acres, once part of the Lott and Seidensticker homesteads, were developed as “The Park” in 1887. A “harvest home barbecue” was held that year, and two years later the event had blossomed into the first annual county fair. Early fairs were privately run and later partially supported by the county. Then, as now, the fair gave ranchers and farmers a chance to show their best produce and livestock while promoting local pride and friendly rivalry. In 1928, a depressed economy curtailed the event and in 1930 Madison County...

"Authorized by the California State Legislature in May 1939, the 35-A District Agricultural Association held its first annual county fair in Mariposa October 1939." A couple of years later the Work Projects Administration made major improvements. "WPA Project No. 165-1-08-292, Sponsor 35-A District Agricultural Association." "Description: Improve fairgrounds. Work includes constructing grandstand, exhibition buildings, barns, comfort station, concession hall, and office building; excavating; backfilling; roofing, painting; rehabilitating barns; installing water lines, tank, hydrants, plumbing, sewer and electric facilities; and performing carpentry, sheet metal, and incidental and appurtenant work. Publicly owned property." March 19, 1941, total Federal funds $72,092, average men employed 270, total...

"Improve Merced County Fairgrounds near Merced, in Merced County, by grading and leveling grounds, preparing and planting lawn, planting trees, repairing race track, and performing incidental and appurtenant work. In addition to projects specifically approved. County-owned property." WPA Project No.465-3-2-642, Approval Date May 23, 1938, $3,573, Average Employed 78, Total funds $3,673.

The WPA built several structures for the Minnesota State Fair from 1935-1940, including the art deco Horticulture building, the horse barn and decorative friezes, the sheep and poultry barn, the swine barn, the commissary building and the 4-H building. From a 2011 Finance & Commerce article: “If the Fair had a great architectural era, said Granger , it would have been the years before and during World War II, when the Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed some of the most beloved Art Deco-influenced buildings, among them the Horse Barn, 4-H, Sheep & Poultry, Swine and Commissary.”

The Missouri State Fairgrounds have been located at this site since the start of the 20th century. The WPA did extensive work on the site in the 1930s. There were many buildings built by the WPA. The entry gates on the north side, the Donnell building, the infield stands in the track, and the Speed Horse Barn remain.  The WPA also improved the roads and walkways throughout the park. Main gate: "Built in 1939 this Art Deco/Art Moderne rendering in steel and concrete consist of three individual ticket booths spanned by steel arch work containing the Missouri State Seal and the...

Montana's Big Timber Pioneer newspaper reported in 1937: "Harold F. DePue, manager of the North Montana State fair, announced two new structures—the Future Farmers' building and a horse barn—have been completed at the fair plant here. The buildings were erected through co-operation of Cascade county, the PWA and the fair commission. A third new unit—the mercantile building, Is near completion."

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) developed the Monterey County Fairgrounds in 1939-40, building exhibit halls, barns, a racetrack and more. There is a WPA plaque on the grounds. (Note: in the second phase of the WPA's life, it was called the Works Projects Administration and was placed under the new Federal Works Administration) "Covering 22 acres, the Monterey county fairgrounds is the site of the annual county fair, as well as other events large and small which throughout the year. There are two arenas, livestock barns, and several exhibit halls. Probably only a handful of the millions of people who...

Several substantial structures at the Miami Municipal Fairgrounds were built using native sandstone by the WPA (ca. 1940), including: an eight-foot-tall perimeter wall; a 78' x 205 fairground grandstand; a wall surrounding the racetrack; a 90' x 70' stable, and a 76' x 178' exhibit barn.

The WPA constructed a 4-H Club building for the Muskogee Fairgrounds in 1936. A 1985 Oklahoma Historical Landmarks survey of extant WPA properties describes the building: "The 4-H Club building on the Muskogee County Fairgrounds is a single story structure that is composed to two intersecting units... The structure is constructed of colorful uncut native stone laid randomly with beaded mortar... The 4-H Club building is an excellent example of the interpretation the WPA gave to 'useful.' The building was used by 4-H Club members during fair time as a dormitory and exhibit hall. Thus its educational and commercial purpose fit well...

The New Mexico State Fairgrounds opened at its current location in 1937. In addition to buildings, we should look to New Deal programs for basic infrastructure such as exterior walls, gates and landscaping. "Wilfred Stedham designed the grandstand, paddock, track and clubhouses as a part of this New Deal Project." -Kathryn Flynn

Syracuse's 275-acre New York State Fairgrounds site was built during the Great Depression. Its construction was enabled by funds provided by the federal Public Works Administration (PWA). The PWA supplied a $264,907 grant for the project, whose final cost was $589,408. Construction primarily occurred during 1937. PWA Docket No. NY 539.

"This building is one of nine livestock exposition-type buildings in Oklahoma, built by the WPA. The WPA completed this one-story native stone building in April 1942. It served as a livestock exposition building and was first used at the Okmulgee County Free Fair on September 23-26, 1942. This area was used as the local fairgrounds until the 1970s. An average of 84 men worked two years completing the building. Its native stone blocks are laid unevenly which speaks of the unskilled WPA labor used to construct it. The building was the first in a series of fairgrounds buildings planned, one to...

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed improvement work at the city park and at the fairgrounds in Gordon, Nebraska.

The Prescott Rodeo grounds at the Yavapai County Fairgrounds were constructed with the help of the New Deal in the mid-1930s. Among the improvements to what was then known as the Northern Arizona State Fairground were a large rodeo grandstand, administration buildings, an infirmary, two barracks, a bakery, a kitchen and mess hall, and two water wells.  Many of the buildings no longer exist, but the grandstand is still in use.  It is uncertain whether the stone Doc Pardee building and Danny Freeman building behind the grandstand are also New Deal in origin.  One source (World's Oldest Rodeo) is definite that they were, but...

Montana's Big Timber Pioneer newspaper reported in 1937: "The Richland county fairgrounds are being completely remodeled for the coming Richland county fair and according to manager Jack Suckstorff about 40 men are now being employed in this work which is a WPA project. The grandstand is the most noticeable of the changes, it is being enlarged to scat approximately 3,000 people whereas its former capacity was around 1,500. The midway is being enlarged and seeded. It is planned to make this year's fair the greatest in history. The fair opening is on Labor day."

Removing and stacking top loam for new finish and doing all grading of area shown on accompanying drawing to finished grades or elevations as noted. Area to be used for parking space, track and recreational and athletic field. Handle approximately 170,000 cubic yards of earth.--Mooser, p. 83. The same text (pgs. 89 and 95) reports work on the San Francisco Agricultural Association livestock building (Unit #2) and on the parking area, athletic field and adjacent boulevard, which is almost certainly referring to this same site.

Building restored and repaired by the PWA.

The livestock pavilion at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds in Sheridan, Wyoming was constructed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The structure is located near the southern edge of the grounds, by Victoria Street.

The Civil Works Administration (CWA) painted "grandstands, fences, and buildings" at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds in Sheridan, Wyoming.

The Works Progress Administration ( WPA) built several of the features in the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds: a grandstand, two sides of the Education building, and a barn for all sorts of stock animals.    The Silver Dollar Fairgrounds is home to the Third District Agricultural Association and has a fair every Memorial Day week.  Butte county fairs go back to the mid-19th century, off and on, and came to be sponsored by the Third District Agricultural Association after it was formed in 1935. The fairgrounds hosts other events throughout the year, particularly open car races on the Silver Dollar Speedway.  The Gold Cup...

Post-and-beam construction covered with log-veneer siding characterizes this early building inspired by M. H. Lott and built as a community project by area homesteaders in 1894. It is the only remaining building of the original fairground complex, built when the land was privately owned. Salvaged by the WPA-funded project that rebuilt the fairground in the mid-1930s, its remodeling included the addition of casement windows, a hardwood floor, and the log-veneer siding. The building has always served as a central gathering spot at the fair. In the 1960s, the building was renamed the “Jeffers Building” in honor of Lawrence and Jo...

The WPA constructed buildings and did ground work at the Wisconsin State Fair Grounds.

A WPA press release from Dec. 1937 reported: "Word of $25,081 for WPA construction work in Yakima County was received today from the office of Don G. Abel, State Administrator, with the employment of 123 men from WPA rolls on projects to start December 28. The Washington State Fair grounds at Yakima will be landscaped, the trees topped and a cess-pool constructed. An allotment of $9,845 has been made by WPA, the Department of Agriculture, as sponsors, pledging $2,186. Forty-six men from WPA rolls will be employed five months. At the east city limits of Yakima the grounds will be cleared, leveled and...

This unique octagonal 2 story livestock barn and pavilion on the Grundy County Agriculture Fair site was built by the WPA in 1938. It is also known as the Rock Barn.

The Todd County Fairgrounds Grandstand was constructed in 1940. It was the largest Works Progress Administration (WPA) project in the county. The workers began pouring concrete in the spring. The grandstand was a labor-intensive effort. The size of the work crew was doubled in May 1940 to ensure a portion of the grandstand would be done in time for the August fair. The workers spent hours and hours in hard, hand labor. The workers poured cement for six steps at a time, working from dawn to late evening. The interior of the grandstand was designed for use as a dormitory...

Fine Arts Building at the Golden Gate International Exposition constructed with PWA funds.

Funds for a seawall and fill for the exposition site were provided through a $3,043,000 WPA grant. Another WPA grant of $1,296,000 provided for roadways, a causeway, trestles, landscaping, and drainage of water systems. A PWA grant of $1,711,000, matched in part by local funds, provided for paving, ferry slips and some buildings. Private funding for the exhibition were raised through private subscriptions, through the sale of bonds. A 1940 WPA publication describes the construction of Treasure Island as follows: "Dedicated November 21, 1937, Yerba Buena Shoals, more popularly known as Treasure Island, was raised from beneath the waters of the bay through the handling...

The Tulare County Fairgrounds received extensive improvements from the WPA.

The federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed Festival Hall, an auditorium, at the Wells County Fairgrounds, located at the southeast corner of North Dakota Highway 15 and U.S. Highway 52. "Also constructed during the depression years was Festival Hall (1938). A WPA project, it was purportedly designed by Wells County agent and fair manager, E. W. Vancura. The main floor of the 136' x 44' building is comprised of a wooden-floored auditorium with a large stage at its north end and a very small stage midway along the building's west wall. The basement was designed to house industrial exhibits during the...

A historical marker erected in 2008 reads: "In 1937, the Southwestern Settlement and Development Company deeded land to Newton County. This property would become known as Woods Park, named for the company's surveyor, C.A. Woods. County residents used the park for recreation and soon the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a New Deal program administered by the federal government, improved the park through a building project. Between 1939 and 1969, Newton High School used the park intermittently as an athletic field. Since 1980, the park has hosted the Newton County Fair and is now known as the Newton County Fair Grounds."