Centennial International Exhibition of 1876 Souvenir Plaque, Main Building
date: label: Date made
content: 1876
notes: label: Description
content: Plaque commemorating the Centennial International Exhibition held in Philadelphia in 1876. Front inscribed <i>CENTENNIAL EXPOSITION [/] MAIN BUILDING</i> with a depiction of the Main Building; reverse inscribed <i>THREE MILLIONS OF [/] COLONISTS [/] ON A STRIP BY THE SEA [/] NOW FORTY MILLIONS [/] FREEMEN [/] STRETCHING FROM OCEAN TO OCEAN.</i>
label: Description
content: Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the International Exhibition of Arts, Manufacturers, and Products of the Soil and Mine, better known as the Centennial Exposition, was held in Philadelphia, PA's Fairmount Park from May- November 1876. Over 10 million people visited the Exposition's 285 acres in that time, populated with over 200 buildings, including the Main Hall, which at 35 acres was, at the time, the largest building ever constructed. Other buildings were Halls devoted to Agriculture, Horticulture and Machinery, Memorial Hall, home to the Exposition's Art Gallery, and a Pavilion funded by, and celebrating, women.
label: Description
content: Thirty seven countries participated in what was America's first official <i>World's Fair.</i> Also, 26 of the nation's 37 states constructed pavilions, a symbolic victory given the country's recent Civil War and Reconstruction. Despite the recent abolishment of slavery, the Fair few examples of African Americans and their achievements.
label: Description
content: For an admission fee of 50 cents, visitors were able to peruse countless consumer goods, be introduced to groundbreaking technological advancements and enjoy novel amusements and foods. The most popular item was the Corliss Steam Engine, which, at nearly 50 feet tall, powered the Machinery Hall. Other highlights included the first public demonstrations of Alexander Graham Bell's telephone and rides upon the world's first steam driven monorail, and a first look at the Statue of Liberty, whose completed right arm and torch were on display. Many fair goers experienced their first taste of fares such as bananas, popcorn, Hires root beer and Heinz ketchup.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
topic: label: Subject
content: Expositions and Fairs
label: related event
content: Centennial Exposition
setName: label: See more items in
content: Culture and the Arts: Entertainment
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: The Larry Zim World's Fair Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1989.0438.0360
label: catalog number
content: 1989.0438.0360
label: accession number
content: 1989.0438
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Plaque
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: overall: 3 7/8 in x 1/8 in x 2 3/4 in; 9.8425 cm x .3175 cm x 6.985 cm