Photo Provided A contestant from the 1980s Belmont County Fair shows her cow during the livestock showings.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The Belmont County Fair started in 1849 and continues to grow even bigger than when it began.

Now, the fair celebrates its 175th anniversary with the tradition of family entertainment continuing to power it after all these years.

Belmont County Fair Board President Ed Campbell said the fair has lasted so long because of the dedication of the Belmont County community.

“It’s a big deal in the fact that there’s been so much dedication over the years from the Agricultural Society that we were able to maintain and grow the way that we have grown,” he said. “It’s just a big milestone for us in the fair industry and the support we have from the community and all of our state and local people.”

The Belmont County Agricultural Society started the fair in 1849 in St. Clairsville and continues to lead the charge in presenting it to the public. Campbell said the fair is more modernized now than what it used to be. For years, all paperwork was run manually. Now everything is computerized.

“It’s just evolving as the economy evolves,” he said.

Campbell noted the fair used to be a lot smaller in the past, but still included all aspects of a fair, including food vendors, rides and livestock showings such as cows, horses and goats. Campbell said the fair has and still allows people the chance to go out and have a good time and meet with family and friends.

He described it as a big social event.

“We get to showcase the youth of the county, their projects that they’ve worked on here and everything. So, to me, it’s just a good time for the community to get together.”

The fair’s attendance has grown along with its overall size. For the last several years, 15,000 to 17,000 people have come through the gates.

The Agricultural Society has run the fair since its creation with new fair board members throughout its history. Now the board consists of Campbell, Vice President Mark Stephens, Secretary Rebecca Selmon, Treasurer Malissa Campbell, Concessions Manager Bryan Hull and Concessions Assistant Manager Andrew Selmon.

The fair has moved many several times since it started. It began on a 27-acre piece of property, but has expanded to a 162-acre property. The fair’s location 14 years ago was where the football field sits now, and its current home is on Roscoe Road in St. Clairsville.

The junior fair has also grown since its move, expanding with bigger barns because of the number of animals.

“It shows dedication and the commitment to agriculture and youth to have sustained this long,” Selmon said.

The current location also allows for more campers, with 150 now accommodated. At the previous site, only 30 campers could set up.

Since its beginning, the fair has grown with more entertainment, food and animals as the years went on. At the centennial fair in 1949, entertainment such as the Sun Bros Hippodrome and Circus Acts and a horse show with pony races were among the main events.

At the horse race, the entry fee was $1 per person for classes third through eighth and .50 cents for classes one, two and nine, while winners of the relay-race four-horse team won a $20 prize.

The 1949 fair also featured livestock judging, a parade, float judging, and engineering demonstration from the Boy Scouts of America and 4-H style and health revue.

Selmon also noted the dedication of the individuals from the board of directors has kept the Belmont County Fair going so long and growing every year.

“If we didn’t have the group we have, we would not be where we’re at,” Selmon said. “It’s just been a lot of individuals over the years that have dedicated their time and talents and blood, sweat and tears.”