Editing Sesquicentennial Exposition (section)

==History==
===Planning===
[[Image:Sesqui-Centennial Grounds.jpg|thumb|The 1926 Sesqui-Centennial Exposition grounds]]
In 1916, the idea for a Sesquicentennial Exposition stemmed from the mind of [[John Wanamaker]], who was the only living member of the [[Centennial Exposition]]'s Finance Committee.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web|url=https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/sesquicentennial-international-exposition/#3934|title=Sesquicentennial International Exposition (1926)|last=Wilson|first=Martin|website=Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia|access-date=October 6, 2018}}</ref>  At the time Philadelphia was a booming city, in terms of size and opportunity; however, it suffered from corruption on political and financial fronts.  Wanamaker was well aware of the city's corruption, and believed a fair could redeem [[Philadelphia]]'s reputation. He believed by hosting another world's fair, the restoration of the city's integrity, patriotism, and industry would emerge.  By the end of August 1916, Wanamaker received the support of Howard French, the president of the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.  In October, plans were underway, and French assigned a committee responsible for planning the "Great International Exposition of Philadelphia in 1926".  The [[Benjamin Franklin Parkway|Fairmount Parkway]], which was under construction, would be the official site of the exposition.  In 1917 the United States found itself involved in World War I, which caused the planning for the Sesquicentennial Exposition to be placed on hold.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=Sesqui! Greed, Graft, and the Forgotten World's Fair of 1926|last=Keels|first=Thomas|publisher=Temple University Press|year=2017|isbn=9781439903292|location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|pages=1–352}}</ref>

After [[World War I]], Philadelphia suffered because of losses in the war, the spread of [[Spanish flu|Spanish Influenza]], and the hardships of [[Prohibition in the United States|Prohibition]].  These circumstances combined made the city's atmosphere bleak, even with the election of the new mayor [[J. Hampton Moore]].  Through these hardships, Wanamaker's hope and vision for a celebration of Philadelphia continued.<ref name=":03">{{Cite book|title=Sesqui! Greed, Graft, and the Forgotten World's Fair of 1926|last=Keels|first=Thomas|publisher=Temple University Press|year=2017|isbn=9781439903292|location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|pages=1–352}}</ref>  Wanamaker took advantage of an interview on July 11, 1919, by using the opportunity to discuss his ideas for a 1926 world's fair.  From this interview, he received the support of other notable Philadelphians as well as the [[Franklin Institute]] and Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, who encouraged Mayor Moore to participate in immediate planning.  By November 1920, Moore hosted an event to discuss and develop plans for the Sesquicentennial Exposition, resulting in the establishment of  the Committee of 100.  The committee's first meeting was held on January 24, 1921, renaming itself the Sesqui-Centennial Exhibition Association (SCEA).  Mayor Moore had been elected as the SCEA's president, while Wanamaker was appointed honorary chairman to its board.<ref name=":03" />

The honor of hosting this celebration was awarded to Philadelphia in 1921. Initial grand plans were scaled down tremendously by the time the fair opened.  The original director of the exposition, [[David Charles Collier|Colonel David C. Collier]], resigned in protest over these budget cuts.<ref>{{cite news |title=Collier Quits Directorship of Exposition|work=Los Angeles Times|date= 1925-10-30|page=2}}</ref>  His replacement, Captain Asher C. Baker, retired due to illness days before the festival opened, leaving things in the hands of E. L. Austin.<ref>{{cite news |title=Exposition Head Retires|work=New York Times|date= 1926-05-26|page=27}}</ref>  Baker died less than two weeks later.<ref>{{cite news |title=Capt. Baker dead; head of Exposition|work=New York Times|date= 1926-06-06|page=28}}</ref>

===Opening===
[[File:Sesquicentennial Exposition Gold Medal of Award 1926.jpg|thumb|The Gold Medal of Award sculpted by [[Albert Laessle]]]]
The fair opened on May 31, 1926, and ran through November on grounds bounded by 10th Street, Packer Avenue, 23rd Street, and the [[U.S. Navy]] Yard (Terminal Avenue) in [[South Philadelphia]].  Originally known as [[League Island Park]], these grounds are now occupied by [[FDR Park]], [[Marconi Plaza, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Marconi Plaza]], [[Packer Park, Philadelphia|Packer Park Residential Neighborhood]], the three stadiums of Philadelphia's massive [[South Philadelphia Sports Complex]]: [[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Lincoln Financial Field]], and [[Citizens Bank Park]], and the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] training complex which now occupy that portion of the grounds which from 1933 to 1993 were the site of Philadelphia Naval Hospital that was demolished 2001.

The senior draftsman for the design of the exposition buildings was a young [[Louis Kahn]], later a world-renowned architect, then working under City Architect John Molitor.<ref>[http://www.philadelphiabuildings.org/pab/app/ar_display.cfm/21829 Kahn, Louis Isadore (1901-1974) - Philadelphia Architects and Buildings<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>  Sculptor [[Charles Tefft]] was chosen as the director of sculpture for the fair while noted Philadelphia sculptor and artist [[Albert Laessle]] created the fair's Medals of Award.<ref>Proske, Beatrice Gilman, Brookgreen Gardens Sculpture, Brookgreen Gardens, SC, 1968 p. 150</ref>