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Panama Pacific International Exposition centennial
Today, February 20th, marks the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Panama Pacific International Exposition (PPIE) in 1915 in San Francisco. The PPIE was a world’s fair which celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal. At the time, it was the third exposition to be held in the United States and the twelfth exposition held in the world.
The fair featured commercial, scientific, and educational displays in exhibition palaces and courts, amusement concessions, and an aviation field. Nearly nineteen million people attended the fair which was held on 635 acres in the area now known as the Marina District.
Throughout 2015, San Francisco is celebrating the PPIE centennial. View the PPIE100 website for more information on the celebratory events.
Each Friday, for the duration of the fair’s run, we’ll highlight materials in our collection related to the PPIE. The first one, below, is from our Panama Pacific International Exposition Collection.
Man looking at Panama Pacific International Exposition grounds, 1915.