The first Iowa State Fair was staged in Fairfield October 25-27, 1854, with a budget of $323 [REF].
The fair was not held in 1898, due to the celebration of the World's Fair in nearby Omaha, Nebraska, as well as the Spanish-American War, and in 1942-1945 due to World War II, when the state allowed military personnel to use the grounds as a supply depot [REF].