1909 Cleveland Industrial Exposition
Planning and Construction
from the 1909 Souvenir Booklet
The Cleveland Industrial Exposition was suggested by Mr. F. F. Prentiss in December, 1908. The idea was submitted to a meeting of local manufacturers, called by President Charles S. Howe of The Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, December 9th. At this gathering the project was so warmly approved that the Chamber decided to hold an exposition of Cleveland-made products the coming year.
President Howe appointed an Exposition Committee of one hundred. From this number an Executive Committee was selected with the following members: Mr. Charles E. Adams, Mr. W. D. B. Alexander, Mr. Charles E. Farnsworth, Mr. S. P. Fenn, Mr. Munson A. Havens, Mr. William H. Hunt, Mr. H. A. Higgins, Mr. John G. Jennings, Mr. L. H. Kittredge, Mr. M. A. Marks, Mr. Harry New, Mr. Robert W. Ney, Mr. Charles A. Paine, Mr. S. L. Pierce, Mr. F. F. Prentiss, Mr. Willard N. Sawyer, Mr. W. D. Sayle, Mr. F. R. Scofield, Mr. Ambrose Swasey, Mr. Lyman H. Treadway. The officers chosen for both committees were: Mr. F. F. Prentiss, chairman; Mr. Charles E. Farnsworth, treasurer" Mr. William G. Rose, secretary. The details of the work were divided among six sub-committees" Halls and Headquarters, Publicity, Decoration, Entertainment, Transportation, Finance. Offices were opened in The Chamber of Commerce building, and the preparatory work began in January.
The Executive Committee found at an early date that the available public halls would not accommodate the prospective exhibitors. It was therefore decided that an exhibition building was necessary, and the Committee selected as a site the plat of ground upon which the coming city hall -- part of Cleveland's Group Plan -- is to be erected. The land is nearly opposite the Central Armory, the use of which for exposition purposes was secured from the trustees.
A grant for the occupancy of the city hall site having been given by the city authorities, Mr. J. Milton Dyer was selected as the Committee's architect, and the erection of the building began on March 3oth. On May 24th the structure was in readiness for the exhibitors.
The Exposition Building, erected in forty-seven working days, has a larger ground floor exhibit area than any other exposition structure in the United States. Its total area is 72,030 square feet, and this added to the area of the armory and the bridge connecting the two buildings, gives a grand total of 114,656 square feet, a space greatly in excess of that of any previous home product exhibition. The new building is of unique construction. The walls are of wood covered with staff, and the fireproofed and waterproofed canvas roof is supported by three huge masts mounted on structural iron supports which are anchored to thirty-ton blocks of iron-weighted concrete. From these supports quarter-poles are extended, adding strength to the network of steel cables that holds the roof. At the west of the main building is a Pompeiian garden of novel design and with original features.
The Exposition decorative scheme includes the approach to the exhibition buildings, beginning at the intersection of Superior avenue and East 6th street, where two massive statues representing the "Spirit of Progress," designed by Architect J. Milton Dyer and executed by Sculptor Herman Matzen, stand on pedestals at either side of the roadway. More than twenty thousand electric lamps, aided by searchlights and other powerful illuminants, supply the lighting. The interior walls are covered with white bunting, relieved by adornments in harmony with the character of the Exposition, while fountains, statuary, flowers and shrubbery add to the general effect.
A notable supplementary feature of the Exposition is the elaborate street decorating scheme planned and executed by the Retail Merchants' Board, the lighting item alone requiring the use of fifteen thousand electric lamps.
The plans of the Executive Committee were outlined and plats and application blanks issued in March. Within a week enough favorable responses were received to guarantee the success of the project and to warrant the erection of the Exposition Building. The publicity campaign thereupon commenced. One million Exposition gum seals, more than 1700 monthly proof-sheets, 25,000 invitation booklets, and 100,000 postcards were printed and circulated; and 15,000 posters and window cards were distributed locally and through all cities and towns within a radius of 200 miles. A slogan competition drew out 3,000 participants, and a poster competition increased popular interest. A souvenir book of the Exposition, containing a directory of the exhibitors, a classified list of Cleveland manufacturers, and other matter pertaining to local industries, was prepared. The work of the publicity department was aided by favorable arrangements for transporting out-of-town visitors to the city during the Exposition period.
The entertainment material secured by the Committee included two of the best local bands; the famous boy chorus of 500, Mr. J. Powell Jones, director; and other features of a high-class character.
Throughout these arrangements the Committee has kept in view the primal object of exploiting the city by a comprehensive display of its manufacturing resources. The Exposition will draw attention to Cleveland's peculiar advantages as a manufacturing center, and it is believed this better understanding will materially add to the city's industrial prosperity. As a local exhibit the Exposition will be found educational as well as entertaining, and it is hoped it will win the approval of the Cleveland public both as an interesting exhibit and a commercial object lesson. In this connection the Committee is gratified to note that a number of American cities are preparing for home product expositions of the same general scope and purpose as our own.
With the conclusion of this hurried summary of the details of inception, construction, promotion and administration, that have brought the project to its opening hour, the preliminary chapter ends.
The Cleveland Industrial Exposition must now speak for itself.
June, I909.
