Editing Centennial Exposition of 1876 (section)

== Planning and Organization ==

Planning for a centennial celebration began in the 1860s, with Congress authorizing a centennial commission in 1871. Philadelphia was the obvious location—the city where independence was declared and the Constitution written—and civic leaders mobilized to make the most of the opportunity. The site selected was a portion of Fairmount Park, the vast public park that extended along the Schuylkill River, offering space for a massive exposition while remaining accessible to the city center. The fair's organizers raised funds through stock subscriptions, government appropriations, and foreign participation fees, though financial constraints remained a constant challenge throughout the planning process.<ref name="rydell">{{cite book |last=Rydell |first=Robert W. |title=All the World's a Fair: Visions of Empire at American International Expositions, 1876-1916 |year=1984 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |location=Chicago}}</ref>

The exposition grounds encompassed over 285 acres, making it the largest world's fair to that date. Five main exhibition buildings housed the core displays: Main Exhibition Building, Machinery Hall, Agricultural Hall, Horticultural Hall, and Memorial Hall (the art gallery). Dozens of smaller structures included state pavilions, foreign national buildings, and specialized exhibition spaces. The Main Exhibition Building alone covered more than 21 acres under a single roof, making it the largest building in the world at the time. The scale of construction required unprecedented logistical coordination and demonstrated American capacity for large-scale enterprise.<ref name="post">{{cite book |last=Post |first=Robert C. |title=1876: A Centennial Exhibition |year=1976 |publisher=Smithsonian Institution |location=Washington, D.C.}}</ref>