DAYTON, Ohio — Officials at the Montgomery County Fair in Dayton recently celebrated the 162nd anniversary of the fair, but did so with a great deal of angst. Last year the fair board approved the first step in a process to sell the grounds and relocate to Brookville.

It was supposed to be the last year for the fair, which is located two miles south of downtown Dayton. Because of some questions involving finances, though, the old fair was given a reprieve, at least until 2016. Brookville City Council and the Montgomery County Zoning Commission need more time to work out the details of the relocation.

John Friedline, president of the Montgomery County Agricultural Society, which runs the fair, said the board wants to move to Brookville in order to expand the agricultural side of the fair and increase the educational programming.

The purchase of the existing fairgrounds was made by Miller-Valentine Group. If Miller-Valentine goes through with purchasing the 37-acre property, it will provide funding for the fair to move to Brookville and build a new $12.5 million facility. While many don’t want to relocate because of all the memories associated with the present fair, some say the move is welcome.

Joyce Stebbins of Farmersville is on the board of directors and has five children who showed dairy goats at this fair (four got engaged in steers, as well), and five grandchildren showing at this fair. The Dayton-area fair holds a lot of memories for Stebbins, who has participated in it for 51 years.

“The number of entries keeps going down and down,” she said. “and there’s a lot of construction going on in the area, so maybe the move (out in the country) isn’t all that bad. New place, new name and new life. We need it because we keep going down, down, down as we remain here.”

The fair’s new name will be the Montgomery County Agricultural Mart and Events Center.

When the Montgomery County Fair is relocated officials plan on relocating the old roundhouse to the new location. This roundhouse, with its two stories and wood flooring, was built in 1874. Other structures, such as the grandstand that was erected in 1910 and was part of a parade honoring the Wright brothers, will be razed.

“We need to keep our ties to the past,” said Roy Hamilton, 83, who one day recently was exercising his Standardbred on the fair’s old oval track. “It’s a shame the progress takes over and does away with the past. Fortunately, they’re saving the old roundhouse and going to take it down piece by piece and relocate it in Brookville when the time comes.”

Others actively like the move.

“The hygiene here is terrible. The restrooms we shower in are bad,” said Bailey Montoya, a 4-H swine farmer and frequent exhibitor at the fair. “I think new facilities will help bring in new population for this fair.”

The Brookville site is currently a 66-acre field on Arlington Road, south of the Payless ShoeSource Distribution Center and visible from Interstate 70.