Panama–Pacific International Exposition

Not to be confused with Panama–California Exposition.

The Panama-Pacific International Exposition (PPIE) was a world's fair held in San Francisco, California between February 20 and December 4 in 1915. Its ostensible purpose was to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal, but it was widely seen in the city as an opportunity to showcase its recovery from the 1906 earthquake. The fair was constructed on a 635 acre (2.6 km²) site in San Francisco, along the northern shore now known as the Marina.

Contents

Exhibits

Among the exhibits at the Exposition was C. P. Huntington, the first steam locomotive purchased by Southern Pacific Railroad; the locomotive is now on static display at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento. A telephone line was also established to New York so people across the continent could hear the Pacific Ocean. The Liberty Bell traveled by train on a nationwide tour to and from Pennsylvania to attend the exposition. After that trip, the Liberty Bell returned to Pennsylvania, and has not been moved since.[1]

The 1915 American Grand Prize and Vanderbilt Cup auto races were held February 27 and March 6 on a 3.84-mile (6.18 km) circuit set up around the Exposition grounds.[2]

Architecture

The centerpiece was the Tower of Jewels, which rose to 435 feet and was covered with over 100,000 cut glass Novagems. The 3/4 to 2 inch colored "gems" sparkled in sunlight throughout the day and were illuminated by over 50 powerful electrical searchlights at night.

In front of the Tower, the Fountain of Energy flowed at the center of the South Gardens, flanked by the Palace of Horticulture on the west and the Festival Hall to the east. The arch of the Tower served as the gateway to the Court of the Universe, leading to the Court of the Four Seasons to the west and the Court of Abundance to the east. These courts formed the primary exhibit area for the fair, which included the Food Products Palace, the Education and Social Economy Palace, the Agriculture Palace, the Liberal Arts Palace, the Transportation Palace, the Manufacturers Palace, the Mines and Metallurgy Palace, and the Varied Industries Palace. The Machinery Palace, the largest hall, dominated the east end of the central court.

At the west end of central court group was the Palace of Fine Arts. Further west toward the bay down The Avenue of the Nations were national and states' buildings, displaying customs and products unique to the area represented.

At the opposite end of the Fair, near Fort Mason (then an active Naval station, now a center for non-profit organizations) was "The Zone," an avenue of popular amusements and concessions stands.

Construction

Constructed from temporary materials (primarily staff, a combination of plaster and burlap fiber), almost all the fair's various buildings and attractions were pulled down in late 1915. Intended to fall into pieces at the close of the fair (reportedly because the architect believed every great city needed ruins), the only surviving building, Bernard Maybeck's Palace of Fine Arts, remained in place, slowly falling into disrepair[3] (although the hall used to display painting and sculpture during the Fair was repurposed as a garage for jeeps during World War II). The Palace, including the colonnade with its signature weeping women and rotunda dome, was completely reconstructed in the 1960s and is currently occupied by the Exploratorium, an interactive science museum.

A panorama of the Palace of Fine Arts c.1919. The current building was rebuilt in the 1960s.

Commemorations

The US Post Office issued a set of four postage stamps to commemorate the exposition, with designs depicting a profile of Vasco Núñez de Balboa (1¢), the Pedro Miguel Locks of the Panama Canal (2¢), the Golden Gate (5¢), and the discovery of San Francisco Bay (10¢). The stamps were first put on sale in 1913, to promote the coming event, and perforated 12, and then reissued in 1914 and 1915, perforated 10. Their prices today range widely; the 2¢ of 1913 is available for under a dollar in used condition, while an unused 10¢ of 1915 goes for a thousand United States dollars.

Commemorative coins were also issued. The United States Congress authorized the San Francisco Mint (also known as "The Granite Lady") to issue a series of five commemorative coins. Said coins were the 1915S silver Panama-Pacific half dollar and four gold coins. The denominations of the gold coins were 1 dollar, 2½ dollars (quarter eagle), a 50 dollar round coin, and an unusual 50 dollar octagonal coin. Legendary numismatist Farran Zerbe supervised the creation of a series of commemorative medals, an award medal, a souvenir medal, and diplomas.

The half dollar, with a mintage of 27,000, can be purchased in midrange circulated condition for less than $500 as of 2006, but pristine specimens are considerably costlier. The gold $1 with a mintage of 15,000 pieces sells in the same range while $2.50 pieces with a mintage of 6,749 pieces are more expensive, with worn pieces costing in excess of $1,000, while the round and octagonal $50 coins sell for multiple tens of thousands of dollars in any condition. With a mintage of just 483 the round $50 coin has, in fact, the lowest mintage figure of any official U.S. mint issue of the 20th century. At the Fair these five coins were sold both individually and in framed sets. Not surprisingly, few were purchased. The Pan-Pac coins have the distinction of being the first commemorative coins to bear the motto "In God We Trust", and were also the first commemoratives to be struck at a branch mint.[4]

Pictures

References

  1. ^ "Liberty Bell Attracts Crowd in Greenville During 1915 Stop". Greenville Advocate. July 3, 2007. 
  2. ^ Nye, Doug (1978). The United States Grand Prix and Grand Prize Races, 1908-1977. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday. pp. 32–33. ISBN 9780385142038. 
  3. ^ McCoy, Esther (1960). Five California Architects. New York: Reinhold Publishing Corporation. pp. 6. ASIN B000I3Z52W. 
  4. ^ 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition Coinage

See also

Further reading

  • An English Decorator at the Fair. The Literary Digest, Vol. L, p. 546-8. March 13, 1915.
  • An Exhibition Defeating Itself. The Literary Digest, Vol. LI, p. 404-5. August 28, 1915.
  • Art Exhibits at the Panama Exposition. The International Studio, Vol. LIV, sup. 78. January, 1915.
  • Art Lessons of the Exposition. The Nation, vol. CI, p. 86. July 15, 1915.
  • At the Panama-California Exposition at San Diego. The Scientific American, vol. CXIII, p. 40, July 10, 1915.
  • Austin, Mary. Art Influence in the West. The Century, Vol. LXXXIX, p. 829-33. April, 1915.
  • Ayscough, Florence Wheelock. Catalogue of Chinese Paintings Exhibited at the China Pavilion, Panama-Pacific International Exposition, San Francisco.
  • Barry, John D. In the Palace of Fine Arts and the French Pavilion. John J. Newbegin, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Barry, John D. The City of Domes. John J. Newbegin, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Barry, John D. The Meaning of the Exposition. San Francisco, 1915.
  • Berry, Rose V. S. The Dream City, It's Art in Story and Symbolism. Paul Elder and Company, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Bradley, A. Z. The Exposition Gardens. Sunset, The Pacific Monthly, vol. XXX, p. 665-79. April, 1915.
  • Brinton, Christian. American Painting at the Panama-Pacific Exposition. The International Studio, Vol. LVI, sup. 25-32. August, 1915.
  • Brinton, Christian. Foreign Painting at the Panama-Pacific Exposition I. The International Studio, Vol. LVI, sup. 47-54. September, 1915.
  • Brinton, Christian. Foreign Painting at the Panama-Pacific Exposition II. The International Studio, Vol. LVI, sup. 89-96. October, 1915.
  • Brinton, Christian. Scandinavian Art at the Panama-Pacific Exposition. The American Scandinavian Review, vol. III, p. 349-57. November-December, 1915.
  • Brinton, Christian. Sculpture at the Panama-Pacific Exposition. The International Studio, Vol. LVII, sup. 3-9. November, 1915.
  • Brinton, Christian. The San Diego and San Francisco Expositions. I. San Diego. The International Studio, Vol. LV, sup. 105-9. June, 1915.
  • Brinton, Christian. The San Diego and San Francisco Expositions. II. San Francisco. The International Studio, Vol. LVI, sup. 3-10. July, 1915.
  • Burke, Katherine Delmar. Storied Walls of the Exposition. Paul Elder and Company, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Cahill, B. J. S. The Panama-Pacific Exposition from an Architect's Viewpoint. The Architect and Engineer of California, vol. XXXIX, p. 47-60. December, 1914.
  • Calder, A. Stirling. Sculpture at the Exposition. Sunset, The Pacific Monthly, vol. XXXII, p. 610-15. March, 1914.
  • Catalogue of the Department of Fine Arts, Panama-Pacific Exposition. The Wahlgreen Company, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Catalogue De Luxe of the Department of Fine Arts of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. Edited by John E. D. Trask, Chief of the Department of Fine Arts, and J. Nilsen Laurvik. Two Volumes. Fully Illustrated. Paul Elder and Company, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Cheney, Sheldon. Art Lovers' Guide to the Exposition. San Francisco, 1915.
  • Clark, Arthur B. The Significance of the Paintings at the Exposition. San Francisco, 1915.
  • Collecting Art Exhibits in War-ridden Europe. The Review of Reviews, vol. LI, p. 462-4. April, 1915.
  • Colour Scheme of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. The American Architect, Vol. CV, p. 28-9. January 21, 1914.
  • Critcher, Edward Payson. The Panama-Pacific International Exposition. The Multitude, Vol. I, p. 103-16. August, 1914.
  • Eight Decorations by Frank Brangwyn for the East Court of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition at San Francisco. Scribner's Magazine, vol. LVII, p. 170-5. February, 1915.
  • Famous Paintings for the Panama-Pacific Exposition. The International Studio, vol. LIV, sup. 126-9. February, 1915.
  • Faville, W. B. Phases of Panama-Pacific International Exposition Architecture. The American Architect, vol. CVII, p. 2-7. January 6, 1915.
  • Faville, W. B. The Panama-California Exposition, San Diego, California. The American Architect, Vol. CVII, p. 177-80. March 17, 1915.
  • Festal Court, The Panama-Pacific Exposition. The American Architect, Vol. CIV, p. 217-22. December 3, 1913.
  • Furniss, George B. Gardens of the Panama-Pacific Exposition. Garden Magazine, vol. XX, p. 160-1. December, 1914.
  • Garnett, Porter. The Inscriptions at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. The San Francisco News Company, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Gordon, Elizabeth. What We Saw at Madame World's Fair. Samuel Levinson, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Great International Panama-Pacific Exposition, The. The Scientific American, Vol. CXII, p. 194-S. February 27, 1915.
  • Grey, Elmer. The Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915. Scribner's Magazine, vol. LIV, p. 44-57. July, 1913.
  • Harada, Prof. Jiro. The Panama-Pacific International Exposition and its Meaning. The International Studio, Vol. LVI, p. 186-95. September, 1915.
  • Hardy, Lowell. Sculpture and Colour at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. Out West Magazine, New Series, vol. VIII, p. 321-30. December, 1914.
  • Hardy, Lowell. The Architecture of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. The Architect and Engineer of California, Vol. XXXIX, p. 61-74. December, 1914.
  • Illustrated Record of the Exposition. By Louis C. Mullgardt and A. Stirling Calder. Paul Elder and Company, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Ito, B. The Japanese Garden at the Panama-Pacific Exposition. The Architect and Engineer of California, Vol. XXXIX, p. 86-8.December, 1914.
  • James, Juliet. Palaces and Courts of the Exposition. California Book Company, San Francisco, 1915.
  • James, Juliet. Sculpture of the Exposition Palaces and Courts. San Francisco, 1915.
  • Japan and Her Exhibits at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, 1915. Prepared by Hakurankwai Kyokwai (Société des Expositions), Tokyo, Japan.
  • Jules Guérin, Director of Colour, Panama-Pacific Exposition. The Century Magazine, Vol. XC, p. 797-8. September, 1915.
  • Knauft, Ernest. Architecture at the Panama-Pacific Exposition. Reviews of Reviews, Vol. LI, p. 165-74. February, 1915.
  • Laurvik, J. Nilsen. Notes on the Foreign Paintings at the Panama-Pacific Exposition. Art and Progress, Vol. VI, p. 353-63. August, 1915.
  • Macomber, Ben. The Jewel City. J. H. Williams, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Magic Spanish City at San Diego. Out West Magazine, New Series, Vol. VIII, p. p. 291-306. December, 1914.
  • Maybeck, Bernard R. The Palace of Fine Arts and Lagoon. With Introduction by Frank Morton Todd. Verses by John E. D. Trask. Paul Elder and Company, San Francisco, 1915.
  • McCullagh, Minne Althea. The Jewel City. With Decorations by Pedro J. Lemos. San Francisco, 1915.
  • Merrill, Mollie Slater. Gullible's Travels Through the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. San Francisco, 1915.
  • Mitchell, W. Garden. An Architect's Impressions of a Wonderful Exposition. The Architect and Engineer of California, Vol. XXXIX, p. 77-82. December, 1914.
  • Mullgardt, Louis C. The Architecture and Landscape Gardening of the Exposition. Paul Elder and Company, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Mullgardt, Louis C. The Panama-Pacific Exposition at San Francisco. The Architectural Record, Vol. XXXVII, p. 193-228. March, 1915.
  • Murphy, J. C. San Diego's Evolutionary Exposition. Collier's, Vol. LIV, p. 920-2. December 5, 1914.
  • Neuhaus, Eugen. Sculpture and Mural Decorations at the Panama-Pacific Exposition. Art and Progress, Vol. VI, p. 364-74. August, 1915.
  • Neuhaus, Eugen. The Art of the Exposition. Paul Elder and Company, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Neuhaus, Eugen. The Critical Review of the Exposition. Two Volumes. Paul Elder and Company, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Neuhaus, Eugen. The Galleries of the Exposition. Paul Elder and Company, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Newton Photographs and Photochromes of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. San Francisco, 1915.
  • Official Guide Book of the Panama-California Exposition. San Diego, California, 1915.
  • Official Guide of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, 1915, U. S. A. The Wahlgreen Company, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Official Illustrated Catalogue of the Department of Fine Arts, Panama-Pacific International Exposition (With Awards). The Wahlgreen Company, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Official Miniature View Book of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. R. A. Reid, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Official Souvenir View Book of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. R. A. Reid, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Olmstead, Charles. Prints at the Exposition. Art and Progress, vol. VI, p. 379-84. August, 1915.
  • Panama-Pacific International Exposition, A Record of the. By Eugen Neuhaus, Louis C. Mullgardt, and A. Stirling Calder. Paul Elder and Company, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Panama-Pacific International Exposition at San Francisco, 1915. Official Publication. R. A. Reid, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Panama-Pacific International Exposition, San Francisco, 1915. The International Studio, vol. LIV, p. 99-lOS. December, 1914.
  • Panama-Pacific International Exposition, The Buildings of the States at the. The American Architect, Vol. CVI, p. 85-90. August 12, 1914.
  • Panama-Pacific International Exposition, 1915, Souvenir Guide, with natural colour views and descriptive text. Souvenir Guide Publishers, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Perry, Stella G. S. Little Bronze Playfellows of the Fine Arts Colonnade. Paul Elder and Company, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Perry, Stella G. S. The Sculpture and Murals of the Panama-Pacific Exposition. (Official Guide.) San Francisco, 1915.
  • Photographic Studies. By Francis Bruguiére. Day and Night Views. San Francisco, 1915.
  • Plastic Art at the Panama-Pacific Exposition. The American Architect, Vol. CIV, p. 109-11. September 17, 1913.
  • Price, C. Matlack. The Panama-California Exposition, San Diego. The Architectural Record, Vol. XXXVII, p. 29-51. March, 1915.
  • Red Book of Views of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. R. A. Reid, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Rosé, Jack Manley. Four Drawings of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. The Architectural Record, vol. XXXVII, p. 221-4. March, 1915.
  • Ryan, W. D'A. The Illumination of the Exposition Buildings. The Architect and Engineer of California, vol. XXXIX, p. 83-5. December, 1914.
  • San Francisco Fair, The. The Literary Digest, vol. L, p. 533-5. March 13, 1915.
  • Sculpture and Mural Decorations of the Exposition. Introduction by A. Stirling Calder. Edited by Paul Elder. Descriptions by Stella G. S. Perry. Paul Elder and Company, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Sculpture at the Fair. The Literary Digest, Vol. L, p. 1328-9. June 5, 1915.
  • Simpson, Anna Pratt. Problems Women Solved: Being the Story of the Woman’s Board of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. San Francisco: The Woman’s Board, 1915.
  • Soulas, Marie. The French Pavilion and its Contents. San Francisco, 1915.
  • Spectator at the San Diego Fair. The Outlook, Vol. CIX, p. 94-5. April 1, 1915.
  • Spectator at the World's Fair. The Outlook, vol. CIX, p. 895-7. April 14, 1915.
  • Strother, French. The Panama-Pacific International Exposition. The World's Work, vol. XXX, p. 337-61. July, 1915.
  • Taylor, Edward Robeson. In the Court of the Ages. Poems in Commemoration of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. San Francisco, 1915.
  • Taylor, II. A. Camera-work at the Panama-California Exposition. Photo Era, Vol. XXXIV, p. 267-70. June, 1915.
  • The European War and the Panama-Pacific Exposition - A Monumental Contrast. Current Opinion, vol. LVIII, p. 315-20. May, 1915.
  • Trask, John E. D. The Influence of the Worlds' Fairs on the Development of Art. Art and Progress, vol. VI, p. 113-17. February, 1915.
  • Viewing the Panama-Pacific Exposition as a Work of Art. Current Opinion, vol. LIV, p. 50-1. July, 1915.
  • Watson, Mark S. Fine Arts at the San Diego Exposition. Art and Progress, vol. VI, p. 446-55. October, 1915.
  • Watson, Mark S. Permanent Buildings at the San Diego Exposition. The Architect and Engineer of California, vol. XXXIX, p. 47-57. November, 1914.
  • Williams, Cora L. Fourth Dimensional Reaches of the Exposition. Paul Elder and Company, San Francisco, 1915.
  • Williams, Jesse Lynch. The Colour Scheme at the Panama-Pacific Exposition. Scribner's Magazine, vol. LVI, p. 277-89. September, 1914.
  • Williams, Michael. A Brief Guide to the Department of Fine Arts, Panama-Pacific International Exposition. San Francisco, 1915.
  • Williams, Michael. A Pageant of American Art. Art and Progress, vol. VI, p. 337-53. August, 1915.
  • Williams, Michael. Arts and Crafts at the Panama-Pacific Exposition. Art and Progress, vol. VI, p. 374-8. August, 1915.
  • Williams, Michael. Western Art at the Exposition. Sunset, The Pacific Monthly, vol. XXXV, p. 317-26. August, 1915.
  • Woehlke, Walter V. Nueva España by the Silver Gate. Sunset, The Pacific Monthly, vol. XXXII, p. 119-32. December, 1914.
  • Woollet, William L. Colour in Architecture at the Panama-Pacific Exposition. The Architectural Record, vol. XXXVII, p. 437-44.May, 1915.

External links

Retrospectively recognised expositions
BIE recognised
BIE recognition withdrawn
BIE recognised horticultural exhibitions