TBT – Sheridan County Fairgrounds

Two of the most anticipated events at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds are the county fair and the Sheridan WYO Rodeo. These two events and the historical buildings at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds off 5th Street made the site eligible for the National Registry of Historic Places. In July 2011, the site was listed as the Sheridan County Fairgrounds Historic District. This 40-acre site is known for its local historical importance to Sheridan County for agriculture and the annual rodeo event.

The first agricultural fair, held in 1885, was at George Forsyth ranch located at Big Horn City, now Big Horn. The fair lasted three days and featured horse racing as the main attraction on a half-mile track. In 1894, the Sheridan County Agricultural Association advertised its 11th annual fair in the Sheridan Post, which featured $2,500 in “premiums and purses,” with admission at 50 cents per adult and 25 cents for children under 14. The annual fair proved so popular that by the late 1880s, dedicated fairgrounds had been constructed. In 1906, it was moved to its 40-acre location off 5th Street in Sheridan.

The Sheridan WYO Rodeo began in 1931 and aided in constructing a larger grandstand for bleacher seating to accommodate the growing rodeo attendance and the vision of being a national annual rodeo.

The historic buildings recognized on the fairgrounds are the 1923 brick Exhibit Hall and the stone octagonal Pavilion, also known as the Sale Barn, which was constructed between 1935-39 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The three 1939 WPA-constructed sandstone buildings, a 1930 frame barn, and the 1950 frame horse stalls are also listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. Most of these buildings are examples of public projects funded by the WPA. The stonework and utilization of local materials and labor are characteristics of many New Deal projects in the mid-1930s. These 40 acres, which are now surrounded by housing developments and roads, remain the site of the Sheridan County Fair and Sheridan WYO Rodeo, while the historical buildings are a link to the vibrant and unique history of Sheridan County.

Special Thanks to the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office.