The Panama-California Exposition was a exposition held in San Diego, California between January 1, 1915 and January 1, 1917. The exposition celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal, and was meant to tout San Diego as the first US port of call for ships traveling north after passing through the canal. The fair was held in San Diego's large urban park, Balboa Park.
New York architect Bertram Goodhue was employed as supervisory architect for the exposition. His influence can be seen in the fanciful, ornate, Spanish-influenced buildings, some of which are still standing today.
The fair left a permanent mark in San Diego in its development of Balboa Park. Up to that point, the park had been mainly open space. But with the landscaping and building done for the fair the park was permanently transformed and is now a major cultural center, housing many of San Diego's major museums.
While originally opened as Panama-California Exposition, the fair was rechristened the Panama-California International Exposition on March 18, 1916. This was actually valid renaming, for while originally the fair had no international exhibitors, by 1916 it had exhibits from Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland. Most came from the recently closed Panama-Pacific International Exposition held in San Francisco some of who were unable to return to Europe due to the outbreak of World War I.
