What was the name of Philadelphia’s 1876 world’s fair celebrating the 100th anniversary of U.S. independence?

Philadelphia’s 1876 world’s fair celebrating the 100th anniversary of U.S. independence was called the Centennial Exposition.

The Centennial International Exhibition opened in Philadelphia from May 10 to November 10, 1876. It commemorated the centenary of the Declaration of Independence and displayed industrial, agricultural, scientific, and cultural achievements from the United States and other nations.

The fair helped present the United States as an industrial and inventive power. Exhibits included machinery, manufactured goods, artworks, and technologies, while the grounds introduced millions of visitors to new products and ideas. The exposition’s main site was in the city’s Fairmount Park.

Philadelphia’s anniversary history continued with the 1926 Sesqui-Centennial Exposition and, 150 years later, national America250 events. “Centennial” means a 100-year anniversary, distinguishing the 1876 fair from the later 150th, 200th, and 250th milestones.