1876 Centennial Exposition, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The 1876 Centennial Exposition was the first World's Fair held in the United States, a celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence. For display, the Lighthouse Board sent Fresnel lenses, scale models of lighthouses and an anchor and fog bell from a lightship. Part of the display was a 45-foot tall caisson on rocks resembling Delaware Bay's Ship John Shoal Light. The French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi presented a colossal piece of the Statue of Independence, the arm holding the torch. Attendees paid 50 cents to climb a ladder to the top. When the Exposition closed, it was estimated that about 10 million visitors attended, equivalent to 20% of the population of the United States at the time.

The following links will provide even more history behind Harry choosing to do this replica..

Southwest Ledge Light, New Haven, Connecticut

http://www.lighthouse.cc/southwestledge/history.html

1876 Centennial Exposition

http://libwww.library.phila.gov/CenCol/Details.cfm?ItemNo=c022031

http://libwww.library.phila.gov/CenCol/Details.cfm?ItemNo=c012025

Southwest Ledge Light, New Haven CT













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This is pretty outrageous! The history is really neat. Nice pick Harry!

Great Close-ups Paul!

I love both the piece and the history that the piece is based on, Bob. This was a real pleasure to shoot the images of it.

This is really cool piece.

The flag looks like it is also made of resin, rather than paper like the previous lights that were made with flags. Am I correct that the flag is resin?

Nice pics Paul!

Not sure if I'm adding this one to my collection. I might wait to see it at my local HL dealer.

I like the piece very much!

Paul - Great closeups as usual! Did you ever think about being a professional photographer?

I have been one since 1959! At a very early age, of course..

That's why your so good at what you do because you were, and still are, a professional. When I started in electronics we used 2 tin cans with a string between them so I guess you started when black powder flash was still being used? Just kidding my friend.

I really like the history (I actual love history) of this important replica because it was a great example of taking the mountain to the people.. By bringing the lighthouse and all of the other items on this replica to the Centennial Exposition, a lot of people in 1876 were exposed to lighthouses and what items were used at lighthouses. A substantially large amount of the American population at that time went to the Exposition.

It was a great use of an actual lighthouse that was put to work as a lighthouse after the event and not just a prop like a Hollywood set.

Whether it became Ship John Shoal or it's twin lighthouse, Southwest Ledge Lighthouse (and there are those believing it was one or the other), it had to bring an awareness of lighthouses to a lot of people at a time when the lighthouses were of a great importance.

I found the following story about the lighthouse and the torch and arm in an article in Lighthouse Digest. It also mentioned that their is disagreement of where the lighthouse ended up...

Digest Article

There was also a lighthouse exhibit indoors in the Government Building at the Exposition. Included in the items in this exhibit was a 1st order lens..

lighthouse exhibit

This is even up for debate since the 1st order designation wasn't used until 1880. What ever it was called, the lens on the far left in the image looks to be the size of a first order..