Mercer County Fairgrounds
National Register of Historic Places

Mercer County Fairgrounds

Aledo, Mercer County, Illinois
Listed
May 1, 1997
Type
District
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
97000380

About this property

The Mercer County Fairgrounds, located on 12th Avenue SW in Aledo, are the home of the annual county fair in Mercer County, Illinois. The fairgrounds were established in 1869 when the fair moved to Aledo; from its creation in 1853 until then, it had taken place in Millersburg. The early fairs mainly focused on agricultural exhibitions, and the first two buildings were used for horticulture exhibits and household floral shows; these fairs also included entertainment such as baseball games and band concerts. By the end of the century, the fair had grown to host 8,000 visitors, many who came from neighboring counties by train, and show 3,000 entries in its various agricultural competitions. The fair added traveling entertainment and grew to host over 20,000 visitors in the 20th century; it is still held annually at the fairgrounds. In addition to the county fair, the fairgrounds have also held horse races, political events, picnics, and other community events. The fairgrounds were added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 2, 1997.

Location

Aledo, Mercer County, Illinois
41.19209, -90.76464

Categories

AGRICULTUREENTERTAINMENT/RECREATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Mercer County Jail
Industrial
0.9 mi
Mercer County Courthouse
Industrial
1 mi
Verdurette
Listed
10.4 mi
Keithsburg Historic District
Pre Contact
11.2 mi
Commercial House
Industrial
11.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Mercer County Fairgrounds listed on the National Register?

Mercer County Fairgrounds was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 1, 1997.

What type of historic resource is Mercer County Fairgrounds?

Mercer County Fairgrounds is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Mercer County Fairgrounds?

The period of significance for Mercer County Fairgrounds is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1853.

Can I research the history near Mercer County Fairgrounds?

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