Musical accompaniment: Suite: Judy Blue Eyes by Crosby, Stills & Nash. A great song and also happens to be the name of one of Old Spirituals’ favorite readers!
Panama-Pacific International Exposition, 1915, San Francisco
Copyright 1915 by Chas. Weidner, San Francisco, Cal.
Hand-tinted albertype
California Historical Society, CHS2014.1563
On the ppie100.org site, which is dedicated to the Exposition, there is a wonderful quote from architectural historian Laura A. Ackley: “The overwhelming message of the PPIE, mounted a veritable instant after the tragedy of the 1906 earthquake and fire, is one of an optimistic, audacious San Francisco, not unlike the city of today. . . . San Francisco’s Jewel City was the realization of the common dream of many individuals, a goal achieved.”
I came across this beautiful autochrome image of the Palace of Horticulture today.
George Eastman House / Flickr
Living in the Bay Area, I knew the only remnant left standing today of the Exposition is the Palace of Fine Arts. I couldn’t imagine how or why the Palace of Horticulture had ever been torn down. Fortunately, I located this article by Gray Brechin on Found SF that provided the answer. Briefly, Brechin says many people lobbied to preserve the architectural wonders of the Exposition, but “speculative forces proved far stronger than the dream, however, and the arches and towers were brought down in clouds of colored plaster.”
Can you imagine? I tend to want to preserve the past (maybe too much) but I can’t believe anyone would tear this beautiful building down. Even if I was offered a massive sum of money to do it, I would’ve been physically incapable of sending a wrecking ball through this lovely place.
Did you know World’s Fairs are still happening? That might be common knowledge but I didn’t know that. The latest World’s Fair opened in Osaka, Japan three days ago! Here’s the website if you’ll be in the area.
old spirituals 
Once again, Old Spirituals has enlightened me. I had the impression that the World’s Fair was a phenomenon of the past. Until this post, I have not read anything about the 2025 World’s Fair in Osaka, Japan. I also now know that there a World’s Fair is already planned for: 2027 – Belgrade, Serbia; and, 2030 – Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
What’s more, three countries plan to bid for Expo 2035: Germany in Berlin; Egypt in New Administrative Capital; and, South Korea in Busan. As a revered college football coach in the South liked to say, “Who’d have thunk it?”
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I’m glad it was news to someone else too!
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Would you believe this post was lost in my junk file and never made it to my inbox! I found it looking for another email. I loved the Palace of Fine Arts! I was so taken by the beauty that I had read about the Pan Pacific International Exposition. It’s a crime to tear down history such as this. Possibly earthquakes were a reason and the cost of retrofitting was prohibitive. Hotel/casinos have always been imploded here in Vegas and I’m pretty used to that, but the PPIE was just such a once in a lifetime event. I wasn’t aware of World Fairs still happening, either. Thanks for the music! This is my favorite read, too!
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You’re welcome! They tore down Chicago’s White City after the World’s Fair and I feel the same way about both of them. It seems like a crime to destroy something so beautiful.
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