It took the Utah pioneers only nine years to realize that what they needed to spotlight their special talents was a "Fair." So, in 1856 they hel the first in Utah and called it the Deseret Fair.
The first territorial fair was held in the Deseret Store, which was locate at the site where Hotel Utah now stands. Later it moved to Second South where the old Hippodrome Theatre was located.The early fairs were organized and sponsored by the Deseret Agricultural and manufacturing Society, "with a view of promoting the arts of domestic industry and to encourage the production of articles from the native elements in this Territory."
Some of the early exhibits, though, were rather unusual. One of the earliest accounts, for example, listed these:
"Best boar, ornamental basket, ladies' straw hat, best work table picture frame, pair woolen hose, bull four years old, patch-work quilt, best bread, sample cotton doorlock, mare colt, six brooms, six carrots, red cabbages, best map of Utah, best collection garden seeds, best shoe laces, best white goose-berries, best acre of flax, best Enfield rifle, best plaid flannel, best brown mare, best gross matches, best shoe blacking, tow weaver's reeds, best sample soap, best early peaches, best quart turpentine, best peck potatoes, best penmanship, tow ewes, ornamental needle work, best fall pear, best verbena, best phlox, best butter, best sign painting, best kersey, best baby chair, best sweet potato, best cotton gingham, bestt 100 pounds flour.
And there were more. Early records show that a $25 premium was awarded for the "Best fenced and cultivated farm." To encourage the home industries, prizes were offered for the "Best specimen of raw silk," for the "Best bushel of cocoons" and for the "Best bale of cotton." The best 10 pounds of native sugar displayed was to be awarded with a diploma, while the "best speciment of tobacco" was to receive a prize of $5.
Among the early winners for exhibits are many names prominent in Utah history. Brigham young was the winner of $25 for the "Best Stallion." The Mormon leader also won first prize for the best celery exhibited.
During those early years the fair moved around. At one point ti was at the site of the old car barns for the Utah Light and Traction Company, on old Social Hall, at various ward meetinghouses and the present site of the Salt lake city Trolley Square. Finally, in 1902, the Legislature pruchased grounds near the Jordan River, known as "Agriculture Park." which is not the home of the current Utah State Fair and was called the Utah State Fairgrounds.