Tuscarawas County Fairgrounds

Tuscarawas County Fairgrounds Entrance

Tuscarawas County Fair begins on the third week of every September on Tuscarawas county fairgrounds. The seven-days run that feature livestock competitions, fair food, entertainment and 4-H displays. The country fair referred to as “the best seven days in September”.  The tradition has been past on for 167 years and passed down from one generation to the next within the society. This traditional culture originated on the county fairgrounds

Tuscarawas county fairgrounds is locating at 259 Tuscarawas Ave, Dover, Ohio. It has a forty-acre plot and the annual agricultural exhibition of the county is always hold here. Tuscarawas county fairgrounds is need for the Tuscarawas Agricultural Society. In the past one hundred and fifty years, many events hold here, it attracts hundreds of thousands of people.

The Tuscarawas Agricultural Society was organized at Dover on Nov. 10, 1894. The society’s constitution and by-laws were adopted at the time and officers were elected. The constitution stipulated that annual exhibitions of the society be held alternately in Dover and New Philadelphia. The first fair was held Oct. 15 and 16, 1850, at Dover in an area known as Hayden’s Grove. The second fair was held Oct.16 and 17, 1851, at New Philadelphia. it was estimated 5,000 people attended over the fair’s two days.

After two fairs, the need of a fairground become urgent, and it was proposed to purchase permanent grounds between New Philadelphia and Dover. This idea was rejected. A new proposal was made the New Philadelphia and Dover each purchase ground on which to hold the fair alternately, erect buildings and keep them repair. This propose was rejected by New Philadelphia, and permanent grounds were located near Dover on the site of the present fairgrounds. Eight acres were purchased by the society from the heirs of Christian Deardorff. (Deardorff owned Dover’s land since 1807) The grounds increased in size from time to time until in 1884 it included over twenty-fours. Of these, ten acres were at first leased at $12 per acre annually, and the land afterward purchased from the village of Dover and its use donated to the society. A floral hall and other necessary buildings were constructed early in the history of the society and added to and improved at various time since.

Tuscarawas county fair have been held in this ground annually since, except for 1861, when the grounds were occupied as a recruiting camp for volunteers during the Civil War. The fairgrounds were known as Camp Meigs during that period. Two regiments raised in this area — the 51st Ohio Volunteer Infantry and the 80th Ohio Volunteer Infantry — were organized there. The camp was named for Ohio Gov. Return Jonathan Meigs Jr.

The county fairgrounds have experienced wind and rain for over one and half century. This place witnessed the livers of several generations. This place connects the people whom live in this land. The county fairgrounds help passing down the tradiations and culture while adapting to a new one. Keeping traditions alive is important for teaching the next generation about the past and share the past.

Source: "The History of Tuscarawas County"