Philadelphia hosted the 1876 Centennial Exposition, an earlier major U.S. anniversary event.
The exposition marked the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and took place in Philadelphia, the city where the Continental Congress met and where the Declaration was adopted. Its main grounds were in Fairmount Park, west of the Schuylkill River.
The event displayed industrial machinery, manufactured goods, art, agricultural products and innovations from the United States and other countries. It helped present the United States as an industrial and technological power during the nation’s centennial year.
Philadelphia also hosted a major sesquicentennial exposition in 1926. That history makes the city especially associated with national anniversaries, although America250 celebrations in 2026 were organized across the country rather than being confined to one host city.