J.S. Dorton Arena undergoes maintenance in 1980.
One of the most-recognized buildings in North Carolina, J.S. Dorton Arena is seen by hundreds of thousands of people during the N.C. State Fair each year, as well as by thousands of school kids in textbooks. Workers, like the one pictured above, ensure that Dorton Arena remains in pristine condition for all visitors. The arena has come a long way since it first opened during the 1952 N.C. State Fair. That year, the “State Fair Arena,” as it was known, hosted several livestock shows en plein air because the structure’s iconic roof had not been completed. The roof was eventually completed; the livestock shows moved to the Graham Building; and the building now hosts 11 nightly concerts during the Fair.