Two existing buildings will be replaced by one steel building on the Washington County Fairgrounds. Efforts are underway to raise funds for the $462,000 project. The building will be a cattle barn, but has the versatility to change later if needed. Vice President of the Washington County Fair Board John Wagner explained the need for more space for bottle calves, “The goat department has exploded in the last several years and they’ve pushed the bottle calves out of the building they were in. It was called the multi-species barn, and it is now just the goat barn. So, we’re constantly looking for places to put those bucket bottle calves. So, we are, in reference to the old buildings that we have now, they’re 60 years old and deteriorating, the poles have rotted off. We decided now’s the time. We need more space. And we really need to update one of these buildings.”

So far, approximately $175,000 has been raised for the 138-foot by 150-foot building. Washington County has the 8th largest 4-H program in the state while ranking 27th in county population.