The historic three-story Franklin County Farmer's Mutual building located at 500 Main Street in Brookville will go up for auction on Sept. 15 at 5:30 p.m. The proceeds are going to a fantastic cause, the future Franklin County exhibit hall at the fairgrounds.

Franklin County Farmer's Mutual moved from the building to its new location on Main Street in front of Schirmer's, leaving the old building vacant. However, when Farmer's Mutual found out Franklin County 4H was raising funds for a new building project, the board voted to donate the building to raise funds for the project. 

The multi-purpose building will be an 84' by 160' indoor facility to host social and educational gatherings and 4H community gatherings. The building will also be utilized as an emergency shelter. 

"The new building is going to be universal and can be used year-round,” Brian Baxter explained. "The board decided to give it to us knowing that it will benefit everyone in the county." 

Franklin County 4H is looking to raise around $1 million for the new 4H building and hopes the sale of the building will be a big part of this dream coming to fruition. 

"There is not much prime real estate that will ever be sold that will be beneficial again," Baxter said. "So come buy this beautiful 3-story building to support Franklin County 4-H."

When the Franklin County 4H Association announced plans for a new exhibit building at the fairgrounds, 4H youth and members kicked off fundraising by selling engraved bricks to be placed on the front of the new exhibit building with a total goal of 200 bricks sold. Baxter shared, "We have already raised approximately 25k in brick sales. We also got a donation from the, Wayne Bauer family for 100,000, but we have to match it."

Building fund donations are being accepted through FCN Bank, PayPal (paypal.me/FC4H) and Venmo (@FC4-H).