The 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco celebrated the completion of the Panama Canal and served as a showcase for San Francisco's recovery from the 1906 earthquake and its emergence as a global city. The fair was built on a 635 acre stretch of land that we now know as the Marina.
The Palace of Fine Arts, past home of the Exploratorium, is the only remaining building complex.
On display at the fair was the first steam engine purchased by the Southern Pacific Railroad. The Tower of Jewels was covered with 100,000 cut glass gems known as novagems, lit by spotlights at night with stunning effect.
We've collected several souvenir medallions and watch fobs from the PPIE - including this 1915 keepsake welcoming the world to San Francisco.
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