Philadelphia hosted the 1876 Centennial Exposition, a major predecessor to America250 celebrations.
Held from May 10 to November 10, 1876, the exposition marked the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Its official name was the International Exhibition of Arts, Manufactures and Products of the Soil and Mine, but it became widely known as the Centennial Exposition.
The fair occupied roughly 285 acres in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park. More than 9 million visits were recorded, an enormous figure for the era. Exhibits included industrial machinery, agricultural products, consumer goods, and displays from foreign nations.
Philadelphia was a natural setting because the Declaration of Independence had been adopted there in 1776. The city’s role in the Revolution and in the 1876 centennial makes it an important location in the longer sequence of national anniversaries leading to America250.