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Chillicothe Gazette

The Ross County Fair is rich in history and tradition and gets bigger and better with each passing year. Check out our history here, then start making plans to attend this year's fair and be a part of history in the making!

The First Fairs
The first Ross County Fair in Ohio was held in Ross County in October of 1833. Cattle shows had been held as early as 1819. In order to launch this fair, the Agricultural Society was formed in June of 1833 with George Rennick as its president. Some of the categories at this fair included best piece of carpet, best piece of jean cloth, best set of dental instruments, best axe, best sculpture, best fancy chair and best barrel of flour.

This society expired and was succeeded by another society formed in 1846 as an auxiliary to the State Board of Agriculture. It was in 1945 that Charles Betsch organized the Ross County Agricultural Society as we know it today. It had 21 members representing each township, the City of Chillicothe, and members Ex Officio: county commissioners, county school superintendent, and county agricultural agent. These members were responsible for the purchase of the 17 original buildings of the National Youth Administration Camp for $2,500, in a bid to the United States Treasury Department, Office of Procurement.

The grounds, encompassing 43 acres, were part of the county home farm which was under the control of the county commissioners. In August of 1944, the Ross County Picnic and Junior Fair began at the abandoned National Youth Administration grounds on State Route 104. Seventeen large buildings were available for use (this is the site of the current fair). Since this was during World War II, much of the theme of the picnic and other exhibits was war-related. Uniformed servicemen were admitted free of charge. 4-H clubs adopted names such as "Victory Gardens" to carry out the war theme. Events such as softball games, horse pulling contests and a sporting dog show were features no one wanted to miss.

Farm exhibits dominated the displays with a flower show, farm machinery and home equipment demonstrations. The healthiest boy and girl were also chosen from the Junior Fair. The champion steer brought $17.44/hundred. Admission for these activities was: Adults - 25 cents, Children - 10 cents, under age six - free. Total attendance was 5,000 and there was considerable talk about making this an annual picnic because of the grand success of this event.

GROWING SUCCESS
By 1945, Ross County was looking forward to another great summer as the Fair board organized along with the Ladies Auxiliary. Over 500 volunteers helped make this year successful. Many state leaders looked to Ross County as a fair leader to pattern their future fairs after. Governor Lausche and John Hodson, Director of Agriculture for the State, visited this fair to examine the organized event. Attendance was 18,000 and was marred by a huge traffic jam, 3 miles long, attempting to get into the fair. Plans for a new highway and more entrance gates were on the slate of ideas for next year. Testimony to the success of this fair was the awarding of the Myers Y. Cooper Trophy as the best agricultural, industrial and commercial fair in the State of Ohio.

In 1946, the traffic jam was taken care of by new roads into the fairgrounds, as well as a road around the facility. Bleachers to seat 1,300 people were available, as were toilets. The staff dormitory was converted to a display area. City and County school exhibits started. City officials and county volunteers joined efforts this year and there were a number of events to view, not the least of which, was the winner of the hat contest that sported "The onion-headed boatsman." A 1904 Hupmobile was driven around the track to draw attention to the Sesquicentennial of Chillicothe celebration to be held in October. The 4-H band performed and there was a daily livestock parade.

Attractions in 1947 included sideshow freaks like a cat with two heads and four eyes, a two-legged pig and a four-legged chicken with two tails. Traditional exhibits were still on the grounds with the Junior Fair board making its presence known by assisting with fair activities. A hot year made it necessary for planes to taxi into the ends of the pig barns to provide a cooling breeze for the sweltering swine. All sorts of weather was apparent this year; a downpour affected the lighting system and illumination was reduced.

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ADMISSION

General Admission
Season ticket
$16.00

Daily gate
$ 3.00

Grandstand Admission
Grandstand admission prices vary by event and are charged in addition to the price of general admission. See our schedule of grandstand events for dates, times and admission prices of individual events.

August 5 -12, 2006