The Golden Gate International Exposition (GGIE) was a massive undertaking. The city of San Francisco had long looked for a site for a new airport to service the Pacific market, and the fair provided the impetus to build Treasure Island, a man-made island that would eventually service the massive seaplanes in use at the time. The GGIE also helped cement the Bay Area as a tourism and business center, competing directly with the 1939-1940 New York World's Fair. While New York centered more on the industrial side, the GGIE showcased the many natural wonders of the West, with expansive gardens and complementing architecture. The GGIE was a success on all counts, enticing millions of visitors to travel to the region. When the fair was over, Treasure Island became an important naval base during World War II.

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On January 27, 1894, as the rest of the country bundled up against the winter weather, the people of San Francisco opened the California Midwinter International Exposition and invited the world to enjoy "The Land of Sunshine, Fruit and Flowers." The San Francisco Fair, held in the burgeoning city's Golden Gate Park, was the first U.S. hosted Exposition west of the Mississippi River. When the Fair closed in June of 1894, more than two million people had seen its incredible exhibits as well as this promising new land. The Fair celebrated a city that less than 50 years before had been a village of fewer than 250 people, a city that now was the commercial, financial, and social capital of the West. In San Francisco's Midwinter Exposition 1894, author William Lipsky presents the history, creation, and people of the Fair in over 200 vintage images. From the exotic exhibits on the Fair's midway, to the structures and architectural wonders presented at the Fair, Dr. Lipsky presents a striking visual history of this influential moment in San Francisco and California history.

A magical city sat next to the San Francisco Bay in 1915 to celebrate the construction of the Panama Canal and America's success in the World. Known as the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, The San Francisco World's Fair was a massive event that entertained more than 18 million people who visited the Western United States while The Great War raged across the World in Europe. More than 20 countries participated and enthralled guests with a visionary display of palaces, technological achievements and art. The Panama-Pacific International Exposition Company first printed this book as "The Blue Book" in 1915, a lavish celebration of the success of the fair. Restored by World's Fair historian, Mark Bussler (Director of Expo: Magic of the White City and author of The World's Fair of 1893 Ultra Massive Photographic Adventure Series), this massive reprinting preserves the original pictures, text, and type font while adding new spreads and modern layouts.