Our story
The purchase of the 104-acre Baddour Estate in 1974 initiated the development of Wilson County’s agriculture center, named after James E. Ward, the county’s extension agent. Ward’s passion and community-oriented leadership enriched agriculture in this area.
The agriculture center and adjoined fairgrounds expanded again in 2016 after the Wilson County Commission voted in favor of building the state-of-the-art Exposition Center.
The 79,000-square-foot facility is a landmark — built on the same grounds as the nationally acclaimed Wilson County Fair, Tennessee’s largest county fair.
Our stellar reputation combined with our support of Tennessee’s agriculture, education, and community involvement encouraged a partnership with a like-minded organization. In 2020, Tennessee Farm Bureau adopted our center and coined our facility as Wilson County’s Voice of Agriculture. Farm Bureau’s vision, “Working together to build strong agricultural communities,” is instilled in the foundation of this facility and resonates with the values planted in our community.