One of Jefferson County's oldest standing structures has found a permanent new home. The original Glover Homestead building has been relocated to the Jefferson County Event Complex — better known as the county fairgrounds — where it is being reassembled and restored alongside other historic structures saved from Jefferson County's early settlement era.
The move, reported by the Madras Pioneer on June 20, 2026, comes after years of planning and preservation work by historians, volunteers, and county officials committed to maintaining a tangible connection to the region's agricultural past.
A Living History Village
The Jefferson County Event Complex, a 50-plus-acre campus on Fairgrounds Road in the heart of Madras, has long served as a gathering point for the community — most famously as the home of the annual Jefferson County Fair & Rodeo, scheduled this year for July 21–25.
By relocating historic structures like the Glover Homestead to the fairgrounds, the county is building what amounts to a living history village — a collection of original buildings that tell the story of the families and communities that shaped Jefferson County.
Preservation Effort
The Glover family was among the early homesteaders who settled the high desert plateau of what would become Jefferson County, incorporated in 1914. Homestead-era structures from the late 1800s and early 1900s are increasingly rare in Central Oregon, where harsh winters, fire, and development have claimed most original buildings.
Moving a historic structure of this age requires careful disassembly, transport, and reconstruction — a labor-intensive process typically handled by a combination of professional house movers and skilled volunteers. County officials and preservation advocates have expressed hope that the restored homestead will become an educational resource for schools and visitors.
Jefferson County Fair Coming Up
With the Glover Homestead now at its new home, visitors to the Jefferson County Fair & Rodeo next month will have another piece of local history to explore. The fair runs July 21–25, 2026, at the Jefferson County Event Complex on Fairgrounds Road in Madras. More information is available at jeffco.net/fairgrounds.