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Renovated 4-H Building opens at Missouri State Fair

The Missouri State Fair’s 4-H Building has had a major renovation.

Rachel Augustine with the Missouri 4-H Foundation tells Brownfield the updates to the structure maintain the historic integrity of the 120-year-old building.

“Increasing the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, making it safer for the the staff and the students that are staying in the building during the fair. And then, updating the exhibit space, the floor space and the stage.”

It’s also got climate control.

“It was still really hot when the fair started, and we’re still trying to figure out how best air conditioning works in the larger part of the building,” she says.

The more than $2.5 million renovation was funded by the State of Missouri, the 4-H Foundation and some private donors.

Corey Strider with the Goppert Foundation, one of the lead donors for the project, says the updates were needed, and it’s an investment in the future of Missouri agriculture.

“And I was in 4-H as a kid. It’s near and dear to me,” he says. “If we don’t teach them how to do what we know, they’ll never know how to do it. Teaching them to learn and love all this, the woodwork, the baking and the gardening is all important.”

The new demonstration stage was named for Virginia “Ginny” Moentmann from Carroll County.

Mike Craven with the Goppert Foundation tells Brownfield “Virginia was from Norborne. Her son, Paul, his family was gracious to help with this building. They spent many, many years in 4-H and she was very prominent.”

Augustine encourages fairgoers to stop in and see 4-H members give live demonstrations, support the organization and walk through to see projects that members have submitted. A ribbon cutting was held during the first week of the fair.

The Missouri State Fair continues through Sunday in mid-Missouri.

Hear Brownfield’s interview with Rachel Augustine, Missouri 4-H Foundation.

Hear Brownfield’s interview with the Goppert Foundation.