Agriculture Building

Originally constructed in 1904, the Agriculture Building was one of the first buildings resulting from the major effort to convert the Fairgrounds from wood frame to permanent buildings of brick and stone.

The exposition-style Agriculture Building was renovated in 1995 and updates included a new roof, all new windows and doors, and brick and mortar work. The building is one of the best remaining examples of exposition-style architecture in the world. The carpenter shop reroofed the east side of the Agriculture Building in November 2018.

The facility is now home to the famous butter cow as well as the Fair’s largest vegetables and fruits, a variety of floral contests and interesting animal exhibits such as the bees and the ostrich display.

In 2021, 96 lights on the Agriculture Building’s first level, under the balcony were upgraded. The high efficient, LED lighting is energy saving. The new fixtures are dimmable, making it possible to adjust lighting needs for rentals outside of the Iowa State Fair, like corporate events or weddings.

In 2023, the north and east exterior doors of the Agriculture Building were renovated. Each custom door was engineered for function and longevity, following accessibility guidelines. The new doors enable better security and provide weather-proofing to fix previous issues of large gaps and easy-to-pop locks.