On November 18, 1903, the United States and Panama signed the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty (named after U.S. Secretary of State John Hay and Philippe-Jean Bunau-Varilla, a French engineer and the diplomatic representative of Panama). The treaty established a Panama Canal Zone to build the canal, granting the United States sovereignty over the zone.

Reuben Brooks Hale—a San Francisco department store tycoon and president of the Merchants’ Association (the future Chamber of Commerce)—suggested that San Francisco host a world’s fair in 1915. The occasion, Hale wrote, would be “the opening of San Francisco as the center of trade for the Pacific Ocean, or in commemoration of the completion of the Panama Canal.” “And in that plea,” notes Hale’s great-grandson Lee Bruno, “begins the sort of inspired movement to pursue a world’s fair dream.”

On April 18, 1906, at 5:13 a.m., San Francisco was hit by the most destructive earthquake in history. As aftershocks and fires continued to follow, 28,000 buildings in San Francisco were destroyed, 498 city blocks were leveled, a quarter of the city burned down, and 225,000 residents were displaced. According to the statistics and research of experts, the death toll of the earthquake in San Francisco exceeded 3000 people, and the direct damage was as high as 500 million dollars.

on August 15, 1914, the Panama Canal—the greatest engineering triumph of the age—opened its locks to international trade. As the map above demonstrates, the completion of the canal at the narrowest point between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans forever altered geological and navigational maps.

The opening day, 31 countries including the United States, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, France, Italy, Turkey, Canada, Uruguay, Guatemala and other countries attended the conference as promised, bringing no less than 200,000 exhibits. More than 216,000 spectators flocked to the opening day. At 12 o 'clock in the afternoon, President Wilson flipped a remote power switch at the White House and the fountain in San Francisco opened the Panama Fair. At the same time, the wheels of the Treasure Tower, or the Machine hall, whirled and roared with excitement.

192/5000 The panama Pacific Exposition drew to a close on December 4, 1915, when 459,022 guests, many of them wearing special closing day badges, passed through the revolving doors one last time to witness the fair's glory, setting a record for the largest number of visitors to the fair in a single day. The closing celebrations ended with a spectacular light show, hundreds of fireworks salvos and pilot Art Smith dragging flames through the skies of the Jewel City. The excited and reluctant watched as Art Smith's wings streaked across the sky and flames lit the sky -- Goodbye PPIE!

The only existing building of the Fair in its original location is the Bernard Maybek-designed Palace of Art, which was built to display works of art and is the most inspiring architectural masterpiece, housing what the international jury considered the best and most important collection of American modern art. The war in Europe prevented some countries, such as Russia and Germany, from sending art, so countries like France and Italy sent more collections. After the exposition, the Show at the Palais des Arts continued until October 31, 1916.

Throughout 2015, San Francisco hosted a number of PPIE centennial events, such as 1915 Ford Model T Ends Cross-Country Trip in San Francisco Just as it Happened 100 Years Ago in Celebration of the 1915 World’s Fair.

1915PPIEI launches its new logo globally, reinvents the 1915PPIE brand and promotes its culture around the world.