In 1848, the Ohio General Assembly voted to spend funds to promote agriculture. On October 18, 1850, several farmers in Marion County met and called for an agricultural fair. On October 21-22, 1851, the first Marion County Fair was held on the court house lawn in Marion. In 1853, the agricultural society moved the fair to Copeland Woods on Balletine Street, just north of the railroad and corporation line. The location was on the corner of Farming Street. 1857 saw the society purchase three acres on Kenton Avenue just north of the Roundhouse for the site of the county fair. 

The county commissioners authorized $12,2000 to purchase 26 acres in 1868. This 26 acres is the present site of our fairgrounds. $10,000 worth of buildings were erected. The 18^th annual fair was held October 14-17,1868. During 1877, the society purchased 10 additional acres and installed 82 rods of tile. In addition to the purchased land, $1,230 was spent on improvements.

The Marion County Fair was advertised in 1883 as the fair with the best ½ mile mile track in Ohio. A large poster, which is currently on display in the fair office, advertises the fair of 1883 as a top exhibition of livestock, racing, and a shady area with $5,000 in premiums and $1,000 speed program. During 1885, memberships to the agricultural society was opened to any person in Marion County, 16 years old and over, for $1.00 each. Admission to the fair was 25 cents.

In 1946, a .1 mil tax levy for five years was placed on the ballot. The purpose of the levy was to generate funds to build the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in honor of World War II veterans. Construction began in 1949, and the coliseum opened with a basketball game between Harding and Galion on February 7, 1950. All seats were sold out for the game. The cost of the Veterans Memorial Coliseum was $393,000. The entire building was to be bricked like the front of the building is today. Because of the cost overruns, the sides and back of the building were simply constructed with cement blocks, which exist yet today.

The Veterans Memorial Coliseum and the Marion County Fairgrounds have hosted some important people and events. The first three years of Chautauqua were held in a tent at the fairgrounds 1910-1912. Warren G. Harding headed the committee in the early years. William Jennings Bryant attended once. Scenes from the movie “Home in Indiana” were filmed at Marion County Fairgrounds in 1943. The Roy Rogers Show, consisting of Dale, Trigger, Bullet and Pat Brady appeared at the coliseum on the Marion County Fairgrounds in the spring 1950.

The wooden structure of the livestock barn burned in a fire during 1978. A new show arena was built in 1979 for $90,000. The new show arena was named after local radio personality, Charlie Evers, who headed the campaign to raise funds to replace the destroyed building.

The Wilhelm and Seiter log cabin was moved to the fairgrounds in 1980 from the Seiter farm. The cabin was originally built in 1851, the year of the first Marion County Fair. A group of volunteers moved the structure, which took three years to complete.

When a local organization decided not to have an annual July 4^th celebration at a nearby park, the board members voted to hold the 129^th Marion County Fair over Independence Day.

In 1985, Marion County voters approved a .3 mil improvement levy for five years. $653,854 was spent during this period for a new 1,800 seat grandstand, track lights, hub rail and major improvements to the Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Improvements to the coliseum included a lowered ceiling and insulation, new heating and sound system. Restrooms near the new grandstand were also constructed with levy money.

The Vocational Agriculture Chapters built a new FFA building on the fairgrounds in 1986-87. Through efforts of the Marion Ohio Kennel Clubs, Crawford County Kennel Club, and Dan Emmett Kennel club, a heating system and concrete floors were installed in Evers Arena. During 1996, a new beef barn was erected with community area farmers doing the construction. Through the years, the fairground has grown with added buildings and improvements.