Copyright © 2019 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
World Fair exhibits and midway amusements were a staple for many scenic studios; these projects brought in big money. Sosman & Landis created elaborate displays to illustrate a variety of features and products at world fairs that ranged from miniature electric theaters to Indiana health resorts. These projects also provided an opportunity for scenic studios to produce massive panoramas and outdoor exhibits that exceeded any stage show, advertising their services on a grand scale. Some displays were extended beyond the fair dates. In 1894, many exhibits from Chicago’s 1893 Columbian Exposition were transported to the West Coast for California’s Midwinter Exposition.
The Panama-Pacific International Exposition was held in San Francisco, California, from Feb. 20, 1915 to December 4, 1915. The vast fair stretched along 2 ½ miles of the Pacific Ocean. The theme was to commemorate the completion of the Panama Canal, but is also provided California with an opportunity to share their recovery from the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. Almost 80% of the city had been destroyed, but had recovered and rebuilt itself from the ashes. San Francisco also built a second city for the exposition, named the City of Jewels. Harbor View was selected and nearly a hundred earthquake shacks housing low-income residents were evicted to make way for the fairground. The homes were condemned by the Department of Health, all helping fair organizers plan for the event and clear the necessary space. Significant landscape changes occurred, including filling in waterfront marshland.
One of the fair highlights was a functional, five-acre scale model of the Panama Canal. A painted surround for the attraction depicted the whole canal-zone for thousands of miles. Visitors traveled around and listened to a lecture of the Panama Canal little phone headsets. Below the ride, miniature ships moved with electric mules towing them through small locks of real water.
18 million people visited the fair in 1915. Travel and communications were two popular subjects at this event. A telephone line was also established in New York City so that people across the continent could hear the Pacific Ocean. It was the first world’s fair to demonstrate a continental call. Railroad companies were big investors, featuring coast-to-coast travel and vacation destinations. They used the event to promote National Parks; with each railroad building massive exhibits that showcased the parks they serviced. Both the Union Pacific and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe built elaborate exhibits promoting scenic treasures. The AT&SF Topeka created a Grand Canyon exhibit spread out over five acres. Walter W. Burridge, close friend of Thomas G. Moses, designed a series of 100’ paintings depicting scenic marvels of the Grand Canyon for the exhibit. Although Burridge passed away mid project, Edgar Payne was later commissioned by the Santa Fe Railroad to provide the paintings of the southwest. It was this Panama-Pacific exhibit that greatly helped the Grand Canyon becoming a national park by 1919.
Similarly, the Union Pacific built a massive four and-a-half acre replica of Yellowstone National Park, complete with working geysers spewing boiling water. There was a model of Old Faithful at the Old Faithful Inn, a venue that included a dining hall and auditorium. The Canadian Pacific’s Huntington was also on display at the fair, a feature contributed by the Southern Pacific Railroad.
The Grand Canyon attraction was in an amusement in the area called “The Joy Zone” at the fair. In the Zoe, concessions, exhibits and rides were gathered, with a price estimate of $3,500,000. That is today’s equivalent of over $89,000,000. It was the largest amusement park constructed at the time. Here is a great link to the Zone: https://www.nps.gov/goga/learn/historyculture/ppie-thezone.htm
For individual exhibits, here is the link to the Peoples Easy Guide of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition: http://www.books-about-california.com/Pages/People_Easy_Guide/Peoples_Easy_Guide_text.html
The guide sold for 10 cents and included a description of the various buildings and contents, a map of the exposition that indicates the best route to follow, illustrations of the principle buildings, and a complete description of attractions on the Zone.
In the end, the Zone was a financial failure, and many exhibitors were replaced mid-event. Without the support of wealthy corporate funders, such as the railways, many of the “living exhibits” failed. Both humans and animals from different countries were put on display for fair visitors to gawk at during the day, but these exhibits did not necessarily result in the necessary funding. Various groups struggled to remain open, with not all succeeding; the Samoans and Somalis were two of the groups returned home. Then as now, racism reared its ugly head in a variety of ways, demeaning those from different cultures. The Somalis were forcefully deported.
The 435-feet high Tower of Jewels was the main architectural feature, covered with over 100,000 cut glass Novagems; jewels of Bavarian glass backed with mirrors. These ¾-inch to 2inch colored gems sparkled in the sunlight and marveled spectators, similar to what previous towers of electricity had accomplished at previous word fairs. This supported the name of “The Jewel City. “As with many world fairs, the millions of dollars spent on constructing an elaborate city of impressive building was only temporary. Most were torn down at the conclusion of the fair. The Palace of Fine Arts is the only building that has survived until today.
Other fair highlights included a playground for the children called Toyland. Even the Liberty bell, was brought from Philadelphia on a special flat car to the fair, complete with a grand procession. Stunt pilots did tricks over San Francisco Bay throughout the duration of the fair. The airplane was still the big thrill, but the pilot Beachey crashed and dies in San Francisco Bay. After honoring him in a public funeral, another pilot named Art Smith took his place. Smith flew both day and night. Under starlit skies, his attached flares to his plane and created a light show for evening visitors.
Millions of people spent an enchanted summer in the City of Jewels, but it was really the end of an innocent era. The shadow of WWI fell over the City of Jewels and diminished some of its brilliance. Although the fair opened in February, by May the sinking of the RMS Lusitania by a German U-boat. This prompted many individuals to call for the closure of the fair. Nevertheless, the event continued despite increased hostilities in Europe. In the end, thirty elegant pavilions represented various countries, all lined up on the fair’s avenues, despite the deterioration of international relationships. The closing ceremonies included the lowering of the flag from the Tower of Jewels. Lights thrown on clouds of steam were gradually extinguished and the magic ended.
The scope of this event is really hard to imagine until you see film footage or photographs. Here is wonderful 23-minute film of the 1915 Fair if you want to step back in time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGXSkTOnw-A
Here is a shorter, silent movie that also shows original footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQm6ttaHtcc
Tomorrow I will look in depth at the Santa Fe Railroad’s Grand Canyon exhibit initially designed by Walter W. Burridge, just prior to his passing.
To be continued…
Emmett W.McConnell, The Panorama King, put this whole sa-bang together.
Thank you, Gene, for your continued contributions!