Panama Pacific International Exposition records, 1893-1929,, bulk 1911-1916

Summary

Abstract:

The Panama Pacific International Exposition Records consist of the official records from the offices of the world's fair held in San Francisco, California in 1915. The bulk of the records range in date from 1911, when San Francisco was officially declared the site for the Exposition, to the dissolution of Exposition property in 1916. The records have been arranged into nine series, documenting the major divisions of the Exposition: Executive and Administrative Files, the Office of the Comptroller, Division of Works; Division of Exploitation, Division of Concessions and Admissions, Division of Exhibits, Foreign Office Files, Office of the Historian, and Legal Division Office Files. The collection includes material relating to the organization, planning, and administration of the Exposition by President Charles C. Moore and the Board of Directors; raising money and maintaining accurate accounting for the Exposition; designing and building the fairgrounds; advertising the Exposition at home and abroad; managing admissions and concessions; and arranging exhibits on a wide array of topics ranging from arts to industry.

Extent:

145 volumes (volumes 1-143, volumes 145-146), 28 boxes, 172 cartons, 19 oversize folders; 260 linear feet 3 digital objects (3 images)

Language:

Collection materials are in English

Background

Scope and content:

The Panama Pacific International Exposition Records consist of the official records from the offices of the world's fair held in San Francisco, California in 1915. The bulk of the records range in date from 1911, when San Francisco was officially declared the site for the Exposition, to the dissolution of Exposition property in 1916. The records have been arranged into nine series, documenting the major divisions of the Exposition: Executive and Administrative Files, the Office of the Comptroller, Division of Works, Division of Exploitation, Division of Concessions and Admissions, Division of Exhibits, Foreign Office Files, Office of the Historian, and Legal Division Office Files. The collection includes material relating to the organization, planning, and administration of the Exposition by President Charles C. Moore and the Board of Directors; raising money and maintaining accurate accounting for the Exposition; designing and building the fairgrounds; advertising the Exposition at home and abroad; managing admissions and concessions; and arranging exhibits on a wide array of topics ranging from arts to industry.

Included are correspondence, reports, minutes, interoffice memoranda, architectural drawings, financial records, and publicity material. Of note is material encouraging participation by foreign exhibitors to increase the Exposition's international appeal and the records of the Exposition's official Historian, Frank M. Todd. The records also document the legal aspects of organizing, incorporating, lobbying for, administering, and dissolving the Exposition. Although most of the departments of the Exhibits Division are represented in the collection, the records of the Fine Arts Department are missing.

The collection has been given to The Bancroft Library as a permanent loan, and therefore the original order of the records has been maintained throughout the collection (where evident). Subject matter often crosses series lines, and it may be necessary for the researcher to look at numerous series and subseries to formulate a complete record of a particular department or division. Succinct series and subseries descriptions provide a basic outline of the records available. The researcher should consult the container list to determine if records document a topic of interest as not all subjects are mentioned in these brief descriptions.

Biographical / historical:

The Panama Pacific International Exposition (PPIE) opened in San Francisco, California on February 20, 1915. Organized to commemorate the completion of the Panama Canal and the 400th anniversary of Balboa's discovery of the Pacific Ocean, the Exposition also came to commemorate the rebirth of San Francisco after the catastrophic earthquake of April 1906. Built, over the course of three years, on filled in mudflats, the Exposition comprised 635 acres of what is now known as the Marina District of the city. Over twenty foreign nations and forty-three states participated in the Exposition which had attracted 18,876,438 visitors by closing day, December 4, 1915.

Acquisition information:

The Panama Pacific International Exposition Records were given to The Bancroft Library by the Trustees of the War Memorial, San Francisco in 1938 and 1939.

Physical location:

Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.

Rules or conventions:

Finding Aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Location of this collection:

UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library

University of California, Berkeley, The Bancroft Library

Berkeley, CA 94720-6000, US

Contact:

510-642-6481

bancref-library@berkeley.edu

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