North Texas State Fair and Rodeo

NORTH TEXAS STATE FAIR AND RODEO THE FIRST RECORDED FAIR IN THE DENTON AREA OPENED ON OCTOBER 15, 1885 AS THE DENTON COUNTY BLOODED STOCK AND FAIR. THROUGHOUT THE LATE 1800s AND EARLY 1900s, AREA FAIRS CONTINUED TO RECOGNIZE LOCAL LIVESTOCK AND AGRICULTURAL COMPETITORS. THE NORTH TEXAS STATE FAIR, AS IT IS KNOWN TODAY, BEGAN AS THE DENTON COUNTY FAIR IN 1928 AND WAS OFFICIALLY CHARTERED IN 1930. THAT SAME YEAR, THE DENTON COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION ARRANGED FOR NEW FAIRGROUNDS, A TRACT OF ABOUT 13 ACRES OF LAND ON EAST HICKORY STREET. THE FAIR CONTINUED TO GROW AND PROSPER WITH LIVESTOCK AND AGRICULTURAL ENTRIES AND A VARIETY OF ENTERTAINMENT, PARADES, MUSIC, AND SOCIAL EVENTS. IN 1942, THE FAIR WAS CANCELLED DUE TO WORLD WAR II; IT RESUMED IN 1946. DR. W.C. KIMBROUGH, A PIONEER DENTON PHYSICIAN, SOLD THE ASSOCIATION 22 ACRES OF LAND IN NORTHEAST DENTON IN 1948 FOR $5.00. THE FAIR HAS BEEN HELD AT THIS LOCATION SINCE 1949. DURING THE LATE 1950s, SEVERAL PERMANENT BUILDINGS WERE ERECTED ON THE FAIRGROUNDS. THE OLDEST BUILDING, FAIR HALL, WAS ORIGINALLY USED AT THE WORLD WAR II GERMAN PRISONER OF WAR CAMP SITE AT CAMP HOWZE OUTSIDE OF GAINESVILLE BUT WAS MOVED TO THE SITE IN THE 1940s. THE DENTON COUNTY AGRICULTURAL FAIR ASSOCIATION VOTED TO CHANGE THE NAME TO THE NORTH TEXAS STATE FAIR IN 1958. BY THE LATE 1980s, THE FAIR BEGAN TO MOVE BEYOND THE LOCAL COWBOY COMPETITION AND BROUGHT THE FIRST PROFESSIONAL RODEO COWBOYS ASSOCIATION (PRCA) RODEO TO THE FAIR. THE RODEO AND OTHER ACTIVITIES HELD AT THE FAIR CONTINUE TO SHOWCASE THE AREA’S FARMING LEGACY AND DRAW THOUSANDS OF SPECTATORS EACH YEAR. THIS HISTORIC TRADITION SYMBOLIZES THE ECONOMIC IMPACT AND RICH HERITAGE OF THE RANCHING AND FARMING COMMUNITY IN RURAL DENTON COUNTY.

North Texas State Fair and Rodeo is a historical marker in Denton, Denton County, dedicated in 2011. It is one of 110 historical markers documented in Denton County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 174 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 33.2334, -97.1378 near Denton. The nearest cataloged historic site is University Gardens, Texas Woman's University (historical marker), about 0.6 miles away. Others within a short drive include First Building of Texas Woman's University, Pioneer Woman, and First Baptist Church of Denton.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507016789. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.