October 1-December 4, 2015 | Library, 2nd Floor
When the lights went out on the Panama-Pacific International Exposition on December 4, 1915, the city collectively let out a sigh of relief and indulged in a pat on the back. San Francisco had proven that it was a city that could overcome adversity (the 1906 earthquake and fire), rally its citizens to perform great acts of civic pride and duty, and show the rest of the nation and the world that it was a shining beacon on the western edge of the United States.
At the close of the Exposition, San Francisco was left with the remnants of the fair’s grounds – 635 acres of mostly landfill which eventually became the Marina District, the Yacht Harbor, the Palace of Fine Arts, and a few other structures that were preserved and moved to new locations. The prominence of the personages involved in the Exposition, such as Bernard Maybeck and M. H. de Young, benefitted from their work for the PPIE.
This display will feature photographs, pamphlets and ephemera regarding the close of the PPIE festivities on December 4, 1915, and the legacy engendered by this celebration.
Free and open to the public.
