HAGERSTOWN, Md. (DC News Now) — With summer approaching, many communities are readying for fairs and festivals.

In the Hub City, the legendary fairgrounds are getting special recognition for historic preservation.

No other fairground in the state has an “entrance building” like Hagerstown’s. Restoration of the building has earned the city a special salute from the state.

“The great Hagerstown fair was really quite something here for many years,” said Elizabeth Hughes with the Maryland Historical Trust. “The building, however, fell into disrepair about 20 years ago.”

Hughes said the structure is special.

“A real rarity nationally in terms of architecture,” he said.

Built-in 1911, the building has been preserved.

Rod Tissue, Hagerstown’s just-retired city engineer, sees the building as a gateway of sorts.

“People streamed through this building to get to fairgrounds events because it was completely fenced in,” said Tissue. “This building was how patrons accessed the fair.”

Blight set in over the years, however.

“The windows needed to be repaired and repainted,” said Tissue. “Some significant structural repairs were needed.”

Hughes says Hagerstown has really protected a treasure.

“The city stepped in and did the rehabilitation to the exterior as well,” said Hughes. “We can appreciate and enjoy these buildings today.”