Philadelphia hosted the 1926 Sesquicentennial Exposition, a predecessor to the 2026 America250 observance.
The exposition commemorated 150 years of American independence and was held in Philadelphia, the city where the Declaration of Independence had been adopted in 1776. Its location connected the national anniversary to the country’s revolutionary history.
Philadelphia had also hosted the major United States Centennial Exposition in 1876, marking the nation’s 100th anniversary. The city therefore played a recurring role in large-scale national anniversary celebrations before America250.
The 1926 exposition is sometimes confused with the 1876 Centennial Exposition because both took place in Philadelphia. Their anniversary milestones were different: the earlier event marked 100 years, while the later event marked 150 years.