Fairs & Expos Stereos

Fairs & Expositions

Expo1. B.W. Kilburn. 10484. Beauty show on the Midway, Cotton States International Exposition, Atlanta. E. $85

Expo2. B.W. Kilburn. 10644. Trained Horse in the Mexican Village, Atlanta Exposition. VG. $35

Expo4. No ID. Mass. Charitable Mechanic Association. Thirteenth Exhibition-1878. G. $20

Expo5. No ID. In pencil on verso "Lowell, Ma. 1895." An agricultural exhition. VG. $60

Expo9. R. Newell, Philadelphia. The Great Central Fair, Philadelphia 1864. Union Avenue. VG. $125

Expo10. R. Newell, Philadelphia. The Great Sanitary Fair, Philadelphia 1864. Horticultural Department. Tinted. $45

Expo11. No ID. Exposition view, probably 1876 Centennial Expo. Back has illustration of the Holmes Stereoscope and ad for Joseph L. Bates. Photo exhibit on the right. VG. $45

Expo15. London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company. The International Exhibition of 1862. No.2. The Nave, from the Western Dome. Tinted. VG. $25

Expo17. B.W. Kilburn. 8621. In its Glory, World's Columbian Exposition. VG. $10

Expo18. B.W. Kilburn. 8387. The Royal German Band, German Village, Midway Plaisance, Columbian Exposition. VG. $20

Expo20. Griffith & Griffith. 12505. Crowds at the Opening of the Jamestown Exposition, Norfolk, Va. President Roosevelt in background. Here is some information on the Jamestown Exposition:

Opening day on April 26, 1907 had its share of headaches. Only a fifth of the electric lights could be turned on, and the Warpath recreation area was far from ready. Construction of the government pier left much of the ground in the center of the exposition muddy soup. Prominent visitors included President Theodore Roosevelt, who opened the exposition and presided over the naval review. After the opening day, attendance dropped sharply, and never again achieved projections.

But in time, things improved and portions of the event became spectacular. Planners asked each state of the union to contribute a house to celebrate its history and industry. Lack of interest or funds prevented participation by all, but 21 states funded houses, which bore their names: Pennsylvania House, Virginia House, New Hampshire House, North Carolina House, etc. During the exposition, days were set aside to honor the states individually. The governor of each state usually appeared to greet visitors to the state's house.

The 340 acre (1.4 km²) site included a 122 by 60 ft (37 by 18 m) relief model of the Panama Canal, a wild animal show, a Wild West show, and a re-creation of the then-recent San Francisco Earthquake.

Possibly the most popular attraction was a re-creation of the Battle of Hampton Roads, the first battle between two ironclad warships, the USS Monitor vs. CSS Virginia, which had taken place within sight of Sewell's Point 40 years earlier during the US Civil War. The exterior of the Merrimac-Monitor Building looked somewhat like a battleship while the interior was a large circular description of the battle. The name of the warship which had served the Confederacy in the famous Battle of Hampton Roads eventually became a continuing source of confusion. In the years after the war, the common terminology became Merrimac.

The railroads put on elaborate displays. The Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) displayed its entire F.F.V. passenger train, There was a crack New York Central (NYC) electric engine on display, part of its Grand Central Station modernization project in New York City. Not to be outdone, the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) brought an actual 23 foot diameter section of its new East River Tunnel. The same tube, with an inscription that it had been displayed at the Exposition, was later installed under water as part of the link to the new Penn Station in New York.

There were also late model automobiles, autoboats, and electric and steam traction engines, each in its highest stage of development.

The exposition was perhaps most notable for the display of military prowess; warships of many nations, including the sixteen battleships of the United States, participated in a naval review, and all kinds of modern military hardware were on display.

A controversial feature of the exposition was its "Negro Building", designed by W. Sydney Pittman and purporting to show the progress of African-Americans, but which was charged with being a "Jim Crow affair", and criticized by W.E.B. DuBois and T. Thomas Fortune. While Dr. Booker T. Washington was invited and attended as a prominent guest, many African-Americans were probably reminded of their lack of progress, as they were forbidden by law to patronize the restaurants at the exposition.

Mark Twain and Henry H. Rogers also paid a visit, arriving in the latter's yacht Kanawha. Later that summer, Twain returned and was a guest-of-honor on Robert Fulton Day. The elderly Twain's humorous talk was partly an introduction of Rear Admiral Purnell F. Harrington, former Commandant of the Norfolk Navy Yard. Said Twain, "In my remarks of welcome of Admiral Harrington, I am not going to give him compliments. Compliments always embarrass a man. You do not know what to say. It does not inspire you with words. There is nothing you can say in answer to a compliment. I have been complimented myself a great many times, and they always embarrass me. I always feel they have not said enough."

Perhaps the exposition's most impressive display was on water rather than land. Ships of two squadrons commanded by Admiral Robley Evans formed a continuing presence off Sewell's Point. The assembly included 16 battleships, five cruisers, and six destroyers. The fleet remained in Hampton Roads after the exposition closed and became President Theodore Roosevelt's Great White Fleet, which toured the globe as evidence of the nation's military might.

The United States issued a series of three postage stamps in conjunction with the exposition, portraying Captain John Smith, the founding of Jamestown, and Pocahontas. Library of Congress Surplus Duplicate stamp on verso. VG. $50

Expo24. American Stereoscopic Company, W. Langenheim, General Agent. Negatives Taken by A. Watson. Fine Art Gallery. VG. $200

The following 2 Stereoviews (Expo25 & 26) are from a larger group of views of Memphis, Tennessee and Vicinity and are by the photographic firms of Bingham & Craver and Bingham & Hilliard. Other views from this group are listed under Ships (SH123-SH127, SH129-SH133), and other views are listed under Tennessee (TN1-TN9). This is a rare group of views of Memphis by an uncommon maker.

Expo25. Bingham & Craver, Memphis. Interior view of what looks to be an industrial fair. G+. $65

Expo26. Bingham & Craver, Memphis. Interior view of what looks to be an industrial fair. VG. $65

Expo31. B.W. Kilburn. 8560. Little Esquimaux, World's Columbian Exposition. VG. $35

Expo33. B.W. Kilburn. 8565. The Great Mastodon, Anthropological Building, World's Columbian Exposition. VG. $35

Expo34. B.W. Kilburn. 8164. Columbia and her Maids of Honor, Agricultural Building, Columbian Exposition. VG. $15

Expo35. B.W. Kilburn. 8561. Esquimau Homes, World's Columbian Exposition. VG. $15

Expo37. B.W. Kilburn, Littleton, NH. 8838. List, 'tis Music Stealing, Midway Plaisance, World's Columbian Exposition. Black banjo player on stage. G. $35

Expo38. B.W. Kilburn, Littleton, NH. 8232. Burning of the Cold Storage Building, Fifteen brave Firemen lost their lives, July 10th, Columbian Exposition. VG. $25

Expo39. H.P. Macintosh, Newburyport, Mass. Odd Fellows' Fair, City Hall, Newburyport. VG. $35

Expo40. H.P. Macintosh, Newburyport, Mass. Odd Fellows' Fair, City Hall, Newburyport. VG. $35

Expo41. B.W. Kilburn, Littleton, NH. 7880. Esquimaux and their Summer Home, World's Fair. VG. $15

Expo42. M. Leon & J. Levy. Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1867. This untitled view shows an amazingly carved ornament and to its left is a display of 15 large albumen photographs. VG. $35

Expo43. Centennial Photographic Co. International Exhibition 1876. 2025. Colossal Hand and Torch "Liberty." G. $325

Expo44. Cremer & Co., Philadelphia. The Great Sanitary Fair, Philadelphia, 1864. Art Gallery. E. $200

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This page was last revised on 06/14/08.