The original Wisconsin State Fair site was also in Janesville. A portion of that area is now the upper Courthouse Park (E. of the Courthouse) and an historic marker on S. Atwood Ave. designates the location.

Adams School was also in the original fair grounds too. All this was done a long time ago never dreaming that Janesville and the fair would get so big. The first Fair was held in Evansville a long long time ago

The ever visionary county boards.
Some things never change.

Good question and I have one more. How did the county originally sell the land around the fair grounds that is now houses, as well as the church land accross the street. That too I beleive was part of the original land donated to be fair grounds?
Too bad they did, then we wouldn't have too small of land for our fair.

Then why in past years did the county board discuss how much they could sell it for if they moved to a new location?

If the current fair grounds quits being a fair grounds, it will revert back to the J.A. Craig estate and not the county

I don't care where the 4H fair is staged, but there's an 18 acre chunk of land where the Fair is now that I'd hate to see going to the land developers. That piece of land is an opportunity for the residents of Janesville to exploit. We shouldn't sell it off for housing development, or the building of some commercial property. I have a sneaking suspicion that's where some of the pressure to move the fairgrounds is coming from, but have nothing to back that up. I like the present location just fine, and I like driving past all the cars parked along the streets, although you need to be very careful.

As a former 4-Her and a current 4-H leader I support the prospect of a new fairgrounds. Putting funds into updates and improvements on existing grounds that are just too small makes no sense.
I'd encourage Rock County officials to tour the relatively new Washington County Fairgrounds or check out the Washington County fair park website at www.wcfairpark.com. There is a great picture of the park's pavillion front and center on the homepage. The organization that I work for tried to book a weekend livestock event there 6 years ago with the intent of booking it there every year on the same date. To make a long story short we couldn't do it. Our event needs to stay on the same weekend...this facility was so booked that we couldn't find a weekend that we could call our own. The park's pavillion featured on the homepage of their website has an administrative office, conference rooms, and a large banquet facility with a full kitchen. This particular building is rented out for organization meetings, wedding receptions, family reunions, craft shows, car shows, home improvement shows etc...nearly every weekend of the year. They are making a return on their investment...something Rock County could do to if they committed to this project and did it the right way. Revenue would be brought in to other businesses in Janesville as well, in particular hotels and catering services.
The livestock event that I work for found another fair park to hold our current 6th year annual event but we are already out-growing the facility we are currently at; Rock County if you make this happen our organization will be the first in line to see if your new fairgrounds fits our needs.
There is support for this endeavor. Find the right businesses and people to support it, work for it, and let's make it happen. My hand is up if you're looking for your first volunteer.

I wish that the board would go and look at the Berrin Springs Michgan's Youth Fair grounds. This is the next largest entry fair behind Rock County. It is a great fair grounds with lots of room and its layout is fantastic. I have always lived here but I have family over across the lake. They have a building that is a multi pupose building and a lot of groups and private parties use it. It has a full kitchen that you can use. Oh yeah did I say that this is a dry fairgrounds at all times and also no games on the midway, that in it's self gives it more room For you horse people they have 7 horse barns and 2 dairy and 2 beef barns. Gardening and crops have a building of there own. and it still has plety of room to park and has a large grandstand.

i think that the jail dont need to be bigger they commited a crime they should be punished. I mean they have a roof over there heads and they are feed what more to you need. As for rock haven that place keeps getting smaller and smaller. I would predicted in the next 5 to 10 years the place wont be here

Well I for one hope we get a new fair grounds. On another blog I commented that this could become a reality if we get the entire community together. The first thing I would do is ask for donations from places like Blains Farm & Fleet, ABC supply, community donation jars, 4H club fundraisers, FFA alumni, and so many more possiblities. Now is the time to do this, before the repairs to the current fair buildings cost more than to build new. A new fair gorunds will create so much more opertunities for all of Rock County. I would love to help make this happen anybody have ideas how to make it happen?