Proposed Design for the Main Building of the 1876 Exposition
Proposed Design for the Main Building of the 1876 Exposition
Unsigned, ca. 1876
Ink and watercolor on paper
13 1/2" x 34 1/2"
National Archives and Records Administration, General Records of the Department of the Treasury


Main Building of the 1876 Exposition
The 1876 Exposition in Philadelphia was a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and America's reunification after the Civil War. The first international exposition held on American soil, it was intended to showcase the nation's industrial, scientific, and commercial progress. Planning the exposition took 10 years. Thirty-five of the 38 states and 50 nations provided exhibits. More than 10 million people attended. This design for the main government building was not implemented. The final design, although similar in style and character to the one seen here, was considerably larger, somewhat taller, and had more prominent square towers.

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