Merced County Times

A youngster walks away with a blue ribbon from the P*e Wee Showmanship competition at The Merced County Fair.

Here are the award-winning FFA & 4-H students and top animals sold at the Junior Livestock Auction on Saturday at The Merced County Fair.
(We tried to take pictures of as many as we could ... There were a lot of champions)

Friends Helping Friends! ... THANKS SO MUCH to the regional 4-H association, the Merced Elks Club, the Merced County Farm Bureau, and The Merced County Fair Board for hosting and inviting members of the local special needs community to an exciting day on the fairgrounds with tours, lunch and music!

There are many reasons to go to the Merced County Fair, but this year is extra special for our history enthusiasts.

You’ve got to check out the Merced County Courthouse Museum’s display in the Tioga Building, where artifacts with rich Merced history take center stage — in the center showcase.

Imagine that it was a hot summer evening in the 1970s, and you just finished band practice at Merced High. After putting away your drum in the band room, you rode your red bike to the mall to meet up with your friends. It was the perfect night to be out, especially since your parents had gone to Reinero’s to celebrate their wedding anniversary.

You and your friends pedaled across town to the County Fairgrounds. As tempting as it was to rush over to Rosie’s for your favorite chili dog, you had been dreaming about a corn dog and funnel cake all week long. Now that the fair was finally here, the wait was over!

Back to reality, at least four historical items mentioned in this fictional story are on display at the Merced County Fairgrounds. Can you guess what they are? Hints: something about the band, the mall, the restaurant, and the hot dog stand.

In addition to these artifacts, there are historic photos, a wooden wheel, a city limit sign, an old highway sign, a no-smoking sign, and, of course, that red bike. Please visit the display at the Merced County Fair; it will, no doubt, be a trip down memory lane.

Here are some questions to make your visit to our fair display more interesting and educational:

1. When did Merced have a population of 33,750, as posted on the Merced City limit sign?
2. What is the make and model of the red bicycle?
3. What was the wooden wheel used for?
Remember the Courthouse Museum’s slogan: “See Something Old, Learn Something New.”

Story: Sarah Lim - Director of the Merced County Courthouse Museum.

As a way to build up momentum for the upcoming pro rodeo at the Merced County Fair, the Merced Western Heritage Foundation took over Bob Hart Square in Downtown Merced last Saturday for a fun and family-oriented kickoff celebration.

Western Heritage on full display ahead of Pro Rodeo — Merced County Times   As a way to build up momentum for the upcoming pro rodeo at the Merced County Fair, the Merced Western Heritage Foundation took over Bob Hart Square in Downtown Merced last Saturday for a fun and family-oriented kickoff celebration. “We want to encourage the livelihood and the continuation of t...

There are many reasons to go to the Merced County Fair, but this year is extra special for our history enthusiasts.

Local history will be on display at the County Fair — Merced County Times   By SARAH LIM Special to the Times There are many reasons to go to the Merced County Fair, but this year is extra special for our history enthusiasts. You’ve got to check out the Merced County Courthouse Museum’s display in the Tioga Building, where artifacts with rich Merced history take cent...

Merced High Class of 2026 - GO BEARS!