MILLERSBURG, Ohio — The historic flood of 1969 almost washed the Holmes County Fairgrounds off the map, and for decades afterwards, flooding caused by heavy rain or melting snow continued to create havoc for the fair board.

But when severe flooding in June 2004 dumped mud and debris on the fairgrounds only weeks before the fair opened, and with flooding issues over the past four years resulting in more than $340,000 in damages and the loss of three buildings, fair directors and public officials said “enough” – and started looking for a solution to a potentially dangerous problem.

“We looked at changing the water patterns to see if we could stay in the old location,” said Kerry Taylor, president of the Holmes County Agricultural Society. “We looked at everything from filling in low spots, experimented with dams and dikes, even water diversion systems.”

In the end, everyone involved reached the same conclusion: They needed to find a new location for the fairgrounds, which is located in a flood plain along Killbuck Creek.

Taylor was one of several Holmes county officials on hand for a groundbreaking for the new fairgrounds, to be located just up the road and uphill from the current location. Although relocating the fairgrounds will be an expensive endeavor, to date, $1.4 million has been raised for the project, according to Project Coordinator Tom Wilke.

He said that included the donation of 80 acres of land by Paul Weaver, chair of Weaver Leather. At the other end of the property, a new church is being constructed and utilities already in place for the church will extend to the fairgrounds.

Wilke said the next phase of the project involves working with Chris Young, Holmes County engineer, to complete a site plan and design the buildings for the fairgrounds. Those buildings include livestock barns, a show arena and a multi-use exposition center, totaling 100,000 square feet of exhibit space.

Plans are to hold the first fair at the new fairgrounds and exposition center complex by 2013 or 2014.

One challenge to the site design is a variance of 120 feet in elevation on the property, according to Wilke, but leveling the worst areas will make it easier to construct the buildings and more comfortable for walking.

One building is already in place on the property. Officials hope to move and restore the large bank barn built in 1910, so it can remain an historical part of the fair. In addition, plans are already in the works for a second building on the grounds.

Taylor was excited to report a generous donation of up to $200,000 by area business owner, Bill Baker, will mean a permanent location for the county’s “Share a Christmas” program, as well as a building to house 4-H, FFA and Home Arts projects during the fair. Taylor added that Baker, one of the founding members of Share-A-Christmas, wanted to provide a permanent home and office for the program, while at the same time supporting the new fair location.

Taylor said the current fairgrounds have served as the home base for the annual Share­A-Christmas distribution program that takes place in early December, since its start in 1990.

Preliminary plans being discussed would include construction of a 10,000 square-foot building with a small office space and a portion for permanent storage for the organization’s year-around inventory and equipment. The remaining portion of the building would be open for exhibits during the fair.

During November and early December, the entire building would be devoted to the Share-A-Christmas program under a continuing agreement with the fair board, which would assume ownership and upkeep once construction is completed.

The proposed William T. Baker Family Building would also be available for other uses during non-fair and Share-A-Christmas use, such as possible rental and community events that will be held on the new fairgrounds.

“It is going to take the support of many donations, both large and small, to create year-round facility to support the Holmes County fair, local events and a venue for businesses and agricultural events,” Taylor added. “We will likely begin a capital campaign the first quarter of 2012.”

The goal is to use the grounds for many more events than just the weeklong county fair in August. According to local tourism officials, Holmes County has the world’s largest Amish population and is a destination for tourists, Amish-made furniture and agriculture.

Shasta Mast, director of the county’s chamber of commerce, said people come to Holmes County to see agriculture happening. She expects the new location will provide an ideal facility for large-scale farm and trade shows, and new economic opportunities.

 “Everything that we’re going to do here is for the sole purpose of helping people and adding value to Holmes County, and the people who come to visit us,” Weaver said. “A lot of good things happen when kids and their families work together on these projects. If we have a viable fairgrounds, we’re going to have events here all the time.”

David Daniels, director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, said he hopes the new facilities will offer Holmes County youth opportunities through 4-H and FFA to build character and understand the business of agriculture.

 “I had the great fortune and the great opportunity to grow up in a community in southern Ohio very much like what you have here,” he said. “It’s rural, and this is what rural Ohio is all about.”