Finding Aids to Official Records of the Smithsonian Institution

Record Unit 70
Exposition Records of the Smithsonian Institution
and the
United States National Museum,
1867-1940

By Joan Brownell and James A. Steed

---

Historical Note

Descriptive Entry

Series Descriptions

  Series 1. International Exhibition (Centennial Exhibition of 1876, Philadelphia), 1873-1878, 1882.

  Series 2. International Fishery Exhibition (Berlin, Germany, 1880), 1880.

  Series 3. Great International Fisheries Exhibition (London, 1883), 1880-1886.

  Series 4. Southern Exposition (Louisville, 1884), 1884-1885.

  Series 5. Cincinnati Industrial Exposition (1884), 1884-1885.

  Series 6. World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition (New Orleans, 1884-1885), 1884-1888, 1893.

  Series 7. Southern Exposition (Louisville, 1886), 1884-1886.

  Series 8. Centennial Exposition of the Ohio Valley and Central States (Cincinnati, Ohio, 1888), 1888-1889.

  Series 9. Columbian Historical Exposition (Madrid, 1892-1893), 1891-1896.

  Series 10. World's Columbian Exposition (Chicago, 1893), 1886, 1890-1895.

  Series 11. The Cotton States and International Exposition (Atlanta, 1895), 1894-1896, 1902.

  Series 12. Tennessee Centennial Exposition (Nashville, 1897), 1896-1898, 1901.

  Series 13. Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition (Omaha, 1898), 1896-1899.

  Series 14. Pan-American Exposition (Buffalo, New York, 1901), 1898-1903.

  Series 15. South Carolina Interstate and West Indian Exposition (Charleston, 1901-1902), 1900-1903.

  Series 16. Louisiana Purchase Exposition (St. Louis, 1904) 1901-1906.

  Series 17. Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition (Portland, 1905), 1904-1906.

  Series 18. Jamestown Tercentennial Exposition (Hampton Roads, Virginia, 1907), 1906-1909.

  Series 19. International Maritime Exposition (Bordeaux, France, 1907), 1906-1909.

  Series 20. The Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition (Seattle, Washington, 1908), 1905, 1908-1910.

  Series 21. Panama-Pacific International Exposition (San Francisco, 1915), 1914-1917, 1926.

  Series 22. Panama-California International Exposition (San Diego, 1916), 1914-1918.

  Series 23. Minor American and International Expositions, 1867-1939.

HISTORICAL NOTE

After the success of the London Crystal Palace Exposition of 1851, expositions became increasingly popular in both the United States and in Europe. However, serious participation by the federal government did not commence until the International Exposition in Philadelphia, known as the Centennial Exposition of 1876. Government involvement in expositions was authorized by an Act of Congress. The purpose of the government exhibits was generally to set forth the nature of American institutions and various aspects of the life of the citizenry, and to illustrate the nation's military power. The act usually created a Government Board of Management or Government Exhibit Board, which would be composed of representatives from the executive departments, the Smithsonian, and the United States Fish Commission. This board was in charge of appropriations, organization, preparation, installation, and management of government exhibits.

View of Centennial Exhibition of 1876, Philadelphia.

The Smithsonian representative on the Board was in charge of the Institution's exhibit and might be asked to act in some capacity for the Board as well. Spencer F. Baird, George Brown Goode, Frederick W. True, and William deC. Ravenel served as representatives of the Institution from 1876 to 1916. Other Smithsonian staff members produced exhibits in their respective fields. They included Otis T. Mason, George P. Merrill, William H. Holmes, Leonhard Stejneger, and others.

During this period it was customary to differentiate between the exhibits prepared by the Smithsonian Institution proper--the "parent institution," as it was called--and those prepared by the United States National Museum. An effort was made to represent the work of the entire organization in these exhibits. However, the work of the main departments of the National Museum, Geology, Anthropology (including the Bureau of American Ethnology), and Biology lent itself to more vivid illustration; and it is not surprising that in practice the exhibits emphasized their work.

The Institution staff frequently found itself coping with gains and losses arising from participation in expositions. The chief benefit, and it was considerable, was that the Smithsonian received many accessions, especially from foreign exhibitors. It was also able to purchase specimens from government exposition appropriations, which it could add to the National Museum's collection when an exposition ended. Finally, the Institution was pleased to have the publicity which the expositions generated. Despite these undoubted benefits, there were decided disadvantages as well. Often Congress would not make an appropriation for an exposition until very near the time it was to open, which meant the Smithsonian staff had to create exhibits at short notice. Because of this circumstance, it was sometimes necessary to remove exhibit materials from the National Museum in an effort to prepare a creditable production. Moreover, staff members often had to be diverted from their regular duties to help make necessary preparations. This had the effect of removing Museum staff members from their duties in Washington for assignments at an exposition, which obliged those removed to delay work begun in the Museum. Despite these difficulties, the expositions were useful to the Smithsonian, which made effective use of them from 1876 until about World War I.

DESCRIPTIVE ENTRY

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

SERIES 1.
International Exhibition (Centennial Exhibition of 1876, Philadelphia), 1873-1878, 1882.

On March 3, 1871, Congress sanctioned the International Exhibition, known as the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, to celebrate ". . . the one hundredth anniversary of American independence by holding an international exhibition of arts, manufactures, and products of the soil and mine. . . ." Major government buildings constructed to house exhibits at Philadelphia included the Main Building (which covered twenty-two acres), the Machinery Hall, the Agricultural Hall, the Horticultural Hall, and the Memorial Hall. The Centennial Exhibition opened in Philadelphia on May 10, 1876, and closed November 10, 1876.

In 1874, the President created a Board of Executive Departments to prepare a collective exhibition, to ". . . illustrate the functions and administrative faculties of the Government in time of peace and its resources as a war power and thereby serve to demonstrate the nature of our institutions and their adaptation to the wants of the people." The Smithsonian appropriation was $67,000, and the U.S. Fish Commission received $5,000. A later appropriation in 1876 provided the necessary funds for transportation, maintenance, and return of the exhibits.

The Smithsonian exhibition attempted to illustrate the activities of the Institution. The displays of mineral and animal resources were extensive and included a special fisheries exhibit. The anthropology exhibit, a combined effort with the Indian Bureau, represented manners and customs of the American aborigines, past and present. The government exhibit was praised by visitors as the most interesting and important at the Centennial. Material collected for the government exhibits and donations from both foreign and domestic exhibitors was transferred to the Smithsonian at the close of the exhibition. This very large accession, combined with the specimens and objects already on hand, necessitated the construction of a new building, and the National Museum occupied its own building in 1881, when what is now the Arts and Industries Building opened for the first time.

Joseph Henry, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, appointed Spencer F. Baird, Assistant Secretary in charge of the United States National Museum, as representative of the Smithsonian Institution to the Government Board for the Centennial Exposition. Baird also represented the U.S. Fish Commission. Charles Rau directed the preparation of the exhibits. William P. Blake organized and directed the mineral resource exhibit. George Brown Goode prepared the animal division display, which also included the fisheries exhibit. James G. Swan was active in securing many natural history specimens for use in the exhibits.

This series provides only partial documentation of the Smithsonian's involvement in the Centennial Exhibition of 1876. The records, which were primarily created in 1875 and 1876, include five bound volumes containing records of the U.S. Centennial Commission, the Government Board of Executive Departments, and correspondence of Spencer F. Baird; correspondence, financial records, and other materials concerning W. P. Blake and his work on the mineral exhibit; financial records; miscellaneous correspondence; and photographs. Of special interest is correspondence of James G. Swan reflecting his work collecting specimens for exhibition at Philadelphia.

Box 1 of 95

COLLECTED RECORDS OF THE UNITED STATES CENTENNIAL COMMISSION, GOVERNMENT BOARD OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS, AND THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1873-1878

These records consist of five bound volumes labeled "U.S. Centennial Commission," a commission of representatives of states and territories created in 1871 to manage the Exhibition. These volumes also contain materials related to the Government Board of Executive Departments, as well as incoming and outgoing correspondence of Spencer F. Baird concerning the Smithsonian and U.S. Fish Commission exhibits. Other records include circulars, reports, bulletins, maps, and other miscellaneous items.

Box 2 of 95

Folder	1		Duplicate circulars, 1873-1876
Folder	2		Correspondence, 1875-1877. Bound volume made up mostly of Spencer F. Baird's incoming correspondence, arranged alphabetically.

Box 3 of 95

CORRESPONDENCE AND RELATED RECORDS OF THE MINERAL EXHIBIT, 1875-1876

Box 4 of 95

Folders	1-3		Blake, William P., correspondence, 1875-1876. Consists of Blake's correspondence on the mineral exhibit. Arranged alphabetically.
Folder	4		Ore and metal market reports, 1876
Folder	5		Invoice records, 1875-1876. Includes invoices of specimens collected and shipment records.
Folders	6-7		Official classification of mineral collection at the Centennial Exhibition, 1875-1876

Box 5 of 95

ADDITIONAL CORRESPONDENCE AND RECORDS, 1875-1876, 1882

Box 6 of 95

FINANCIAL RECORDS AND RELATED MATERIALS, 1875-1876, 1878

Box 6A of 95

Folder

1

Shipping records, 1876-1877

Box 7 of 95

Folder	1		Shipping records, 1876-1877
Folder	2		Samples of exhibition forms
Folder	3		Plans of government buildings, pass lists, circulars, 1875-1876

Boxes 7A-7B of 95

• Bureau of Installation records, 1876. Includes photographs of the U. S. Government building and detail views of the War Department exhibit.

SERIES 2.
International Fishery Exhibition (Berlin, Germany, 1880), 1880.

An Act of Congress appropriated $20,000 to enable the United States Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries to exhibit "...a fair and full collection of the different specimens of American food fishes, casts thereof, models of implements, etc., used in the prosecution of American fisheries." The International Fishery Exhibition in Berlin, Germany, was held from April 20 to July 1, 1880.

The Fish Commission exhibit combined National Museum materials with privately donated articles for a collective exhibit illustrating the fishery resources, the fisheries, and the fish-culture of the country. The exhibit won the grand prize for the best display. Spencer F. Baird was the Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, as well as Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution in the 1880s. He spoke before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in support of participation at the Exhibition. George Brown Goode, curator of the U. S. National Museum, was appointed deputy commissioner in charge of preparations, installation, and management of the exhibit. Goode was assisted by Frederick William True and others.

This series consists of incoming correspondence addressed to Spencer F. Baird and George Brown Goode concerning preparation of exhibits for the exhibition, including correspondence with private companies. Other materials include shipment lists, collection lists, invoices, financial records, and miscellaneous brochures and printed materials.

For a photograph of the Grand Prize Vase, see Record Unit 95, Series 7.

Box 8 of 95

GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE OF GEORGE BROWN GOODE AND SPENCER F. BAIRD

These records consist mostly of correspondence directed to George Brown Goode and Spencer F. Baird. They include letters and telegrams concerning preparation, maintenance, and return of the fisheries exhibit. Much of the correspondence is from private companies inquiring about displaying articles at the exposition or in response to requests about possible displays.

Box 9 of 95

Folders	1-2		Financial records, 1880
Folder	3		United States Fish Commission lists of specimens and objects collected for the exhibition, 1880
Folder	4		Brochures, advertisements, business cards
Folder	5		Letter of introduction for George Brown Goode, 1880
Folder	6		Catalogues and lists of specimens to be supplied by the U. S. National Museum and private firms, 1880

SERIES 3.
Great International Fisheries Exhibition (London, 1883), 1880-1886.

The Great International Fisheries Exhibition was held in London and ran from May 12 to October 30, 1883. The exhibition was intended "...to include all kinds of specimens of fish life and to illustrate all the modes by which the Marine and Fresh water animals of economic value are captured and utilized, together with the commercial, scientific, social, historic, and legislative aspects of such fisheries...."

Congress appropriated $50,000 to enable the United States Fish Commission to prepare a complete and systematic representative exhibition of the fisheries of the United States. The United States National Museum provided much of the material, a large part of it previously collected for the Philadelphia and Berlin Exhibitions. Private individuals and companies contributed as well. After the close of the exhibition, the Smithsonian received significant accessions from donations by foreign and domestic exhibitors.

Secretary Spencer F. Baird led the Institution's contingent at the Exhibition. George Brown Goode, Assistant Secretary in charge of the National Museum, was appointed Commissioner to the Exhibition. The executive staff consisted of R. Edward Earll, Tarleton H. Bean, Joseph W. Collins, A. Howard Clark, William V. Cox, and other representatives of the National Museum and Fish Commission.

This series provides a detailed account of the collection and preparation of the Fish Commission exhibit. Most of the correspondence is administrative material related to individuals and companies participating in the exposition, transfer of materials, awards received, and other related topics. Official forms, newspaper clippings, and advertisements are also included.

Box 10 of 95

INCOMING CORRESPONDENCE, 1880-1885

Box 11 of 95

Folder	1		D, 1882-1885. Correspondents include Thomas Donaldson.
Folder	2		E, 1880-1884. Correspondents include R. Edward Earll and Henry W. Elliott.
Folder	3		F, 1882-1884. Correspondents include Frederick T. Frelinghuysen, Secretary of State, with attached letter from Spencer F. Baird concerning U. S. exhibit.
Folder	4		G, 1883-1884. Correspondents include Randolph I. Geare, S. Goodale, and C. E. Gorham.
Folder	5		H, 1882-1884. Includes circular of regulations and classification of exhibition; correspondence of Julius E. Hilgard of U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, Romyn Hitchcock, and William H. Holmes.

Box 12 of 95

Folder	1		I-K, 1883-1885. Correspondents include David Starr Jordan.
Folder	2		L, 1882-1884. Includes Lighthouse Board correspondence. Oversized material removed to other housing; folder contains copies of these materials.
Folder	3		Ma-Mc, 1882-1885. Includes Fred Mather correspondence.
Folder	4		Me-My, 1882-1885. Includes lists of American awards and correspondence from J. W. Mollett, Secretary of the Exhibition Commission.
Folder	5		N-O, 1882-1884. Includes correspondence of Edward Condliffe-Owen, secretary to the chairman of the Exhibition Commission.
Folder	6		P, 1882-1884
Folder	7		Patton, Vickers and Co., 1883-1884. Includes correspondence and records related to shipment of exhibit.

Box 13 of 95

Folder	1		Q-R, 1882-1884. Includes information on International Forestry Exhibition.
Folder	2		Sa-Sta, 1882-1884. Includes correspondence of Signal Office.
Folder	3		Ste-To, 1882-1884. Correspondents include James G. Swan.
Folder	4		Tr-V, 1882-1885. Includes correspondence of A. J. R. Trendell concerning Exhibition catalogue.
Folder	5		Wa-Wh, 1882-1883. Correspondents include William Wesley, London agent for the Smithsonian.
Folder	6		Wi, 1882-1884. Includes correspondence of W. A. Wilcox, Secretary of Boston Fish Bureau, as the New England agent for receipt of goods to be exhibited.
Folder	7		Wo-Z, 1883-1885

Box 14 of 95

OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE, 1882-1885

These records consist of indexed outgoing letterpress books pertaining to the U. S. Fish Commission's participation in the Fisheries Exhibition. The correspondence is mostly George Brown Goode's, but includes letters from Spencer F. Baird, Randolph I. Geare, William V. Cox, Frederick W. True, and R. Edward Earll. Some of the correspondence is from London. Contains miscellaneous correspondence related to Cincinnati, Louisville, and New Orleans Expositions as well.

Box 15 of 95

Folder	1		Index for books 1 through 4 of the correspondence in Box 14
Folder	2		Outgoing correspondence from London, 1883-1884. Includes correspondence of William V. Cox, George Brown Goode, and R. Edward Earll.
Folder	3		Outgoing correspondence of R. Edward Earll, 1884-1885. Includes some letters related to the 1884 New Orleans, Cincinnati, and Louisville Expositions.

Box 16 of 95

FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENCE AND RELATED MATERIALS, 1882-1885

These records consist of correspondence, records, and other related materials pertaining to the U. S. Fish Commission's financial records from the exhibition. General correspondence is primarily between William V. Cox and Herbert A. Gill, but includes correspondence of George Brown Goode and Spencer F. Baird. The records include voucher lists, invoices, expense accounts, receipts, disbursement statements, and other related materials.

Box 17 of 95

REPORTS, DOCUMENTS, PUBLICATIONS, AND RELATED MATERIALS, 1882-1884, 1886

These records consist of excerpts from the Congressional Record and Smithsonian Annual Reports; congressional documents; publications; and American and British official prospectuses and forms related to the exhibition. Of special interest is a letter, possibly written by Baird, in support of participation in the exhibition.

Box 18 of 95

MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS AND RELATED MATERIAL, 1883-1885

Includes shipment lists, correspondence, and records pertaining to awards, newspaper clippings, advertisements, and other miscellaneous materials.

Box 18A of 95

• Fish Traders Gazette: May 26, 1883-July 14, 1884 (not inclusive)

Box 18B of 95

• The Salmon: Its Natural Propagation and Protection Ashore or Afloat: July 6, 1883-October 26, 1883

SERIES 4.
Southern Exposition (Louisville, 1884), 1884-1885.

The Southern Exposition in Louisville, Kentucky, was conceived by a privately incorporated group first organized in 1882. In 1883 the organization erected a permanent building and held an exposition for three months. In 1884, this same group held the Southern Exposition, which operated from September 3 until October 4. It should not be confused with another Southern Exposition, held in Louisville in 1886. For records of that exposition, see Series 7 in this finding aid.

In July 1884 Congress authorized government participation in three expositions: the Southern Exposition, the Cincinnati Industrial Exposition, and the World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial at New Orleans. Congress had previously authorized the loan of duplicate specimens from the National Museum for the 1883 Southern Exposition, but at no expense to the government. Congress allotted $2,500 to the Smithsonian Institution for the 1884 term of the exposition. The exhibits were primarily educational, and most were sent to the New Orleans exposition when the Southern Exposition closed.

The series consists of correspondence, reports, and financial records regarding Smithsonian participation in the 1884 exposition, including records of George Brown Goode as representative of the U. S. Fish Commission and the Smithsonian Institution. However, the records for this exposition are very incomplete.

For other records concerning this exposition, see Series 6, World's Cotton and Industrial Exposition; Series 5, Cincinnati Industrial Exposition; and Series 2, London Fisheries Exhibition.

Box 19 of 95

Folder

1

Correspondence, financial records, and related materials, 1884-1885

SERIES 5.
Cincinnati Industrial Exposition (1884), 1884-1885.

The Cincinnati Industrial Exposition was a well-established institution, held annually since 1873 within a permanent building. In 1884, the exposition opened August 16 and closed October 23.

In July 1884 Congress authorized government participation for three expositions: the Southern Exposition in Louisville; the World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial in New Orleans; and the Cincinnati Industrial Exposition. The Smithsonian Institution received $2,300 for its exhibit at the Cincinnati Exposition. Because passage of the appropriation was delayed, the Institution was not able to prepare as complete an exhibit as would have been desirable. The majority of the exhibits were sent to New Orleans when the exposition closed.

George Brown Goode, Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian in charge of the National Museum, represented the Smithsonian Institution at this exposition. R. Edward Earll was the executive officer in charge of preparation of exhibits.

This series consists of correspondence, reports, and financial records, but it is incomplete. For other records concerning this exposition, see Series 3, London Fisheries Exhibition; Series 4, Southern Exposition; and Series 6, World's Cotton and Industrial Exposition.

Box 19 of 95 (cont'd)

Folder

2

Correspondence, financial records, and related materials, 1884-1885. Includes lists of mammals desired by Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy, U. S. Department of Agriculture.

SERIES 6.
World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition (New Orleans, 1884-1885), 1884-1888, 1893.

The World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition celebrated the 100th anniversary of the production, manufacture, and commerce of cotton. Held in New Orleans, it opened on December 16, 1884, and continued until May 31, 1885.

An Act of Congress provided for the participation of the executive departments of the government and the Smithsonian Institution in this exposition. From an appropriation of $75,000, the Smithsonian presented an exhibit at the New Orleans exposition which was much more elaborate than its smaller appropriations had permitted at the Cincinnati and Louisville Expositions. Exhibits from these two previous expositions were transferred to New Orleans. As in its 1876 exhibit at Philadelphia, the Smithsonian attempted to represent the ethnological, animal, and mineral resources of the United States, as well as adding a collection of the textile industries of the world. Curators from all the major departments of the National Museum were involved with the preparation of the exhibit, which required constructing a temporary building in Washington.

George Brown Goode was appointed to represent the Smithsonian and the U. S. Fish Commission. R. Edward Earll was the executive officer in charge of preparation of exhibits. William V. Cox was the financial clerk.

The series provides a fairly comprehensive account of the Smithsonian involvement in the New Orleans Exposition. Correspondence related to the collection of specimens, preparation of the exhibits, and subsequent accessions is of special interest. The administrative, and especially the financial, records are particularly well represented in this series. Other materials include publications, shipment records, and reports.

For other records concerning this exhibition, see Series 3, London Fisheries Exposition; and Series 4, Southern Exposition.

Box 19 of 95 (cont'd)

GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE OF GEORGE BROWN GOODE AND SPENCER F. BAIRD, 1884-1886

These records consist mostly of incoming correspondence addressed to Spencer F. Baird and George Brown Goode. The correspondence pertains to selection, collection, and preparation of specimens and objects for the Smithsonian exhibit; subsequent acquisition of specimens from the exposition; and administrative matters. It includes letters from collecting expeditions, from curators of the National Museum, and R. Edward Earll's correspondence from New Orleans.

Box 20 of 95

Folder	1		Earll, R. Edward, 1885-1886. Letterpress books of his New Orleans correspondence.
Folder	2		Goode, George Brown, 1884-1885. Letterpress book of his New Orleans correspondence.

Box 21 of 95

GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1884-1888

These records consist mostly of the incoming and outgoing correspondence of R. Edward Earll, George Brown Goode, and William V. Cox pertaining to administrative and financial matters. The greater part is Earll's outgoing correspondence from New Orleans, including letters related to foreign and domestic accessions, particularly from Mexico.

Box 22 of 95

Folders	1-2		Cox, William V., 1884-1885. Outgoing correspondence, including some material on Cincinnati and Louisville expositions.
Folder	3		Cox, William V., and George Brown Goode, 1885-1886

Box 23 of 95

FREIGHT RECORDS, 1884-1886

This material consists of records and miscellaneous correspondence dealing with shipment of Smithsonian exhibits to and from New Orleans.

Box 24 of 95

FINANCIAL RECORDS, 1884-1885, 1893

These records consist of expenditure statements, voucher books, and payroll records. They include records related to the Cincinnati and Louisville expositions, the Cincinnati Exposition of 1888, and the World's Columbian Exposition and Madrid exposition in 1893.

Box 24A of 95

Folder	1		Voucher record, 1884-1885
Folder	2		Time book, 1884-1893. Includes records for the Cincinnati, World's Columbian, and Madrid expositions.

Box 25 of 95

REPORTS AND PUBLICATIONS

Box 26 of 95

Folder

1

Newspaper clippings

SERIES 7.
Southern Exposition (Louisville, 1886), 1884-1886.

The Southern Exposition opened August 28, 1886, in Louisville, Kentucky. Congress authorized that exhibits by the National Museum and other government departments could only be provided if there was no cost to the government.

George Brown Goode appointed Austin H. Clark to be in charge of this exhibit, which consisted primarily of photographs.

This series contains miscellaneous correspondence and related legislative documents. It is not to be confused with an exposition of the same name held in Louisville in 1884. See Series 4 in this finding aid.

Box 26 of 95 (cont'd)

Folder

2

Correspondence and documents, 1884-1886. Includes letters of J. W. Wright, president of the exposition, Spencer F. Baird, and A. Howard Clark's proposal for the exhibit.

SERIES 8.
Centennial Exposition of the Ohio Valley and Central States (Cincinnati, Ohio, 1888), 1888-1889.

In 1887 the legislature of Ohio passed a resolution that "...the one hundredth anniversary of the 1st settlement of the North West Territory and the State of Ohio should be appropriately observed and celebrated in order that the progress of the century may be noted..." Industrial fairs had often been held at Cincinnati, beginning with the Ohio Mechanic Institute Fairs prior to the Civil War, and continuing with the Cincinnati Industrial Fairs, one of them treated in Series 5 of this finding aid. The Centennial Exposition of the Ohio Valley and Central States, the culmination of the Cincinnati expositions, opened on July 4, 1888, and closed November 8, 1888. It was not until May 1888 that Congress provided for government participation in the exposition and appropriated $50,000 for the Smithsonian exhibits. The bill also required a final audit of the government exhibits at the Cincinnati Exposition, causing various difficulties for the Institution. Exhibits were prepared in anthropology, natural history, and arts and industries.

George Brown Goode, Assistant Secretary in charge of the National Museum, was representative of the Smithsonian Institution to the Government Board of the Exposition, and directed the Smithsonian exhibits. R. Edward Earll served as Goode's deputy and administrator of the exhibits in Cincinnati. Curators Otis T. Mason, Thomas Wilson, Cyrus Adler, Robert Ridgway, and others participated in the preparation of departmental exhibits. William V. Cox served as the financial clerk.

The series consists of correspondence, records, and reports pertaining to Smithsonian involvement in the Centennial Exposition. It includes correspondence concerning collection and preparation of the exhibits and subsequent accessions to the Museum, as well as financial records. Of special interest are comments concerning the government exhibit audit; information on specific exhibits; and the mammal specimen lists collected and prepared for the exposition. Other materials include reports of the exposition, special papers prepared by the curators of particular exhibits, and various publications.

For photographs, see Record Unit 95, Series 7. For related material, see Series 6, World's Industrial and Cotton Exposition.

Box 27 of 95

GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE OF GEORGE BROWN GOODE AND R. EDWARD EARLL, 1888-1889

These records consist primarily of incoming and outgoing correspondence of George Brown Goode and R. Edward Earll. The material concerns administrative and financial matters, particularly regarding the government exhibit audit and subsequent difficulties. These records include some materials related to the preparation of the exhibits and later Smithsonian accessions from the exposition.

Box 28 of 95

SMITHSONIAN EXHIBITS, 1888

This material consists of records and correspondence pertaining to the Smithsonian exhibits, arranged by departments, including correspondence of curators in charge (Cyrus Adler, Otis T. Mason, and others); checklist of materials needed for installation; miscellaneous materials on specimen collection; and preparation of exhibits.

MAMMAL SPECIMEN LISTS AND RELATED MATERIALS

These records consist of mammal specimen lists compiled for mammal displays. They include some records and correspondence pertaining to purchase and mounting of the specimens, particularly with Ward's Natural Science Establishment.

Box 29 of 95

MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS AND RELATED MATERIALS

This material consists of various documents, reports, and publications pertaining to the Centennial Exposition and Smithsonian involvement.

FINANCIAL RECORDS

SERIES 9.
Columbian Historical Exposition (Madrid, 1892-1893), 1891-1896.

The Columbian Historical Exposition in Madrid, Spain, was part of an extensive celebration of the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of America. In 1892, an Act of Congress authorized United States participation in this exposition. The United States Commission to the exposition included Rear Admiral Stephen B. Luce, U.S.N., George Brown Goode of the Smithsonian Institution, and Dr. J. C. Welling, regent of the Smithsonian.

The Columbian Historical Exposition in Madrid consisted of two simultaneous expositions: the Exposicion Historica - Americana, and the Exposicion Historica - Europea. The Historic American Exposition illustrated the civilization of the New World in pre-Columbian and post-Columbian periods. Following this theme, the Smithsonian exhibit encompassed prehistoric, ethnographic, and historical topics. Most of the National Museum materials were displays already prepared for the World's Columbian Exposition, but supplemented by other collections. Walter Hough described the exposition as "...the greatest collection of Americana under one roof...."

Rear Admiral Luce was the Commissioner General of the U. S. Commission. George Brown Goode, Assistant Secretary in charge of the National Museum, was in charge of Smithsonian exhibits. The commission designated Thomas Wilson and Walter Hough of the National Museum as custodians of archaeological collections and ethnological and historical collections. This exposition is not very well documented. It consists mostly of correspondence of George Brown Goode and Admiral Luce. The remaining material consists of miscellaneous records, documents, publications, and news clippings related to the exposition. The terms of this exposition and the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, discussed in the next series, overlapped to a degree, so far as American participation was concerned.

For photographs, see Record Unit 95, Series 7; for related materials, see Series 6 in this finding aid, the World's Industrial and Cotton Exposition, oversize.

Box 30 of 95

GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE OF U.S. COMMISSIONERS, 1891-1896

Most of this material consists of the outgoing correspondence of George Brown Goode, although it contains some incoming correspondence directed to Admiral Luce.

SERIES 10.
World's Columbian Exposition (Chicago, 1893), 1886, 1890-1895.

On April 25, 1890, Congress approved "...An Act to provide for celebrating the 400th Anniversary of the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, by holding an international exhibition of arts, industries, manufactures and the products of soil, mine and sea...." The exposition opened in Chicago, Illinois, on May 1, 1893, and closed October 31, 1893. Known as the 'White City,' its special effects included electric lighting of the buildings and the famed Midway Plaisance.

Preparations by the Smithsonian Institution began soon after the authorization of government exhibits in 1890. Complications concerning appropriations and expenditures caused some difficulties. By 1893, however, preparations for the exhibits had all but superseded regular operations at the Smithsonian. The displays encompassed most of the departments of the Museum, including a combined effort by the Bureau of Ethnology and Department of Anthropology. The Smithsonian also loaned materials to other U. S. government agencies and to the Woman's Pavilion.

The Government Board of Management, which controlled the government exhibits, was chaired by Edwin Williams, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Agriculture. George Brown Goode, Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, represented the Smithsonian. R. Edward Earll assisted Goode as chief special agent and served as the executive officer to the exposition in Washington and Chicago. George P. Merrill, Robert Ridgway, Otis T. Mason, Frederick W. True, and other curators from the National Museum contributed substantially to preparations.

The series documents the Smithsonian Institution's participation in the World's Columbian Exposition. Correspondence between the Smithsonian Institution and the Government Board of Management is extensive. The majority of the collection consists of correspondence, records, and reports pertaining to the preparation of Smithsonian exhibits and subsequent acquisitions, including correspondence of Goode, Earll, and various curators. The collection reflects all phases of Smithsonian involvement, from the first exhibit proposals to the return of exhibits to Washington. Administrative records are also incorporated in the collection.

For photographs, see Record Unit 95, Series 7. For related materials, see Series 6, World's Industrial and Cotton Exposition, oversize.

Box 31 of 95

U.S. GOVERNMENT BOARD OF MANAGEMENT CORRESPONDENCE AND RECORDS, 1890-1894

This material consists of Smithsonian correspondence and records relating to the Government Board of Management. The papers include administrative, financial, and legislative correspondence, mostly from F. T. Bickford, Secretary of the Board. Of particular interest are correspondence and reports between the Smithsonian, the Government Board, and Treasury Department pertaining to appropriation and expenditure problems.

Box 32 of 95

Folder	1		Special Agent, 1892. Concerning committee of special agents of the exposition's Board of Managers.
Folder	2		Adams, W. I., 1892-1894. Concerning his duties as disbursing officer of the Board.
Folders	3-5		Bickford, F. T., 1891-1894. Concerning his duties as secretary of the Board.

Box 33 of 95

GEORGE BROWN GOODE AND R. EDWARD EARLL CORRESPONDENCE, 1886, 1890-1895

These records consist primarily of correspondence of George Brown Goode and R. Edward Earll pertaining to the exposition. The papers include both incoming and outgoing correspondence, 1890 to 1895, with related materials from 1886. The administrative papers concentrate on personnel matters and appointments. Most of the correspondence pertains to the organization, collection, preparation, and management of the Smithsonian exhibits during the course of the exposition. Other correspondence concerns the acquisition of foreign and domestic exhibits by the Smithsonian.

Box 34 of 95

Folder	1		E, 1891-1894. Includes correspondence concerning formation of "The Egyptological Society;" correspondence of Henry Elliot.
Folder	2		Earll, R. Edward, 1891-1894
Folder	3		F, 1891-1894. Includes diagram and description of 'Fifie Boat.'
Folder	4		Fisheries, 1891-1893. Includes pamphlet of classification; rules and information for potential Department of Fish exhibits.
Folder	5		Fitz, H. W., 1893-1894
Folder	6		Finsch, Dr. Otto, 1886-1892. Concerning purchase of ethnological collections.
Folder	7		G, 1891-1894
Folder	8		Geare, Randolph I., 1891-1894
Folder	9		Germany, 1893. Includes annotations on ethnographic collection of Hagenbeck on Midway Plaisance.
Folder	10		Goldsmith, James S., 1893
Folder	11		Goodale, Charles J., 1891
Folder	12		Goode, George Brown, 1891, 1893. Includes instructions to R. Edward Earll concerning arrangement of annual report.
Folder	13		H, 1891-1894. Includes 1892 circular of Committee on Retrospective Art.
Folder	14		Harris, W. H., 1893-1894. Concerning a collection of war medals of the British Army.
Folder	15		Henshaw, H. W., 1891-1893
Folder	16		Herran, Thomas, 1891-1892. Includes drawings of Colombian gold ornaments purchased by Smithsonian.
Folder	17		Holmes, William Henry, 1892-1893
Folder	18		Horan, Henry, 1891-1893
Folder	19		I, 1891-1893. Includes list of Italian laces exhibited.
Folder	20		J, 1892-1894. Includes correspondence regarding possible Japanese and Javanese purchases.
Folder	21		Johnson, Edmund, 1893. Concerning collection of art reproductions.

Box 35 of 95

Folder	1		K, 1892-1893
Folder	2		Kaldenberg, F. R., 1892-1893. Includes catalogue of collection of oriental ivory carvings; photo of ivory bust 'Mignon'.
Folder	3		Koehler, S. R., 1892-1893
Folder	4		L, 1891-1894. Includes pamphlet pertaining to American antiquities at the exposition.
Folder	5		Langley, Samuel P., 1892-1893. Includes annotated copy of 1890 report regarding cost estimate of the Smithsonian exhibit for the exposition.
Folder	6		Lucas, Frederic A., 1893
Folder	7		M, 1891-1894
Folder	8		Mason, Otis T., 1891-1893
Folder	9		Merrill, George P., 1891-1894. Includes 1892 field correspondence.
Folder	10		Mooney, James, 1891-1893. Includes instructions from Otis T. Mason regarding Mooney's field work.
Folder	11		N, 1891-1893
Folder	12		O, 1890-1893
Folder	13		P, 1891-1894. Includes "Palestine Exploration Fund" pamphlet; list of South Sea curios exhibited.
Folder	14		Patents, Commissioner of, 1892
Folder	15		Photography, 1892-1894. Includes labels to be used with commissioners' photographs.
Folder	16		Pollard, Garland, 1891-1892
Folder	17		Praetorius, Charles, 1893. Pertaining to reproductions of certain drawings in the British Museum.

Box 36 of 95

Folder	1		R, 1891-1894
Folder	2		Ridgway, Robert, 1892-1893 (For additional information, see Box 39, Folder 2, Department of Birds).
Folder	3		Rodgers, J. L., 1892-1893
Folder	4		Russian collections, 1893
Folder	5		S, 1891-1893. Includes pamphlet on the Siamese exhibit; list of Indian articles collected by James G. Swan.
Folder	6		Standard Oil Co., 1893
Folder	7		Stejneger, Leonhard, 1892-1893
Folder	8		Steuart, C. A., 1893
Folder	9		Swedish Commission, 1893-1894
Folder	10		T, 1891-1893. Includes price list of Indian and Burmese models of transportation by Tellery and Company.
Folder	11		Thacher, John Boyd, 1893-1894
Folder	12		Tiffany & Company, 1892-1894. Concerns loan of leather collection.
Folder	13		Townsend, Charles H., 1891
Folder	14		Treasury Department, 1892-1893
Folder	15		True, Frederick W., 1891-1893 (See also box 39, Folder 5, mammal exhibit.)
Folder	16		V, 1891-1893
Folder	17		W, 1891-1893. Includes blueprint of War Department section in U. S. Government Building.
Folder	18		Ward's Natural Science Establishment, 1892-1893. Includes paper on proposed agricultural and food exhibit at exposition.
Folder	19		Willits, Edwin, 1891-1894
Folder	20		Wilson, Thomas, 1893-1896
Folder	21		Y, 1892-1894

Box 37 of 95

Folder	1		Outgoing correspondence of George Brown Goode from Washington, 1890-1891. Includes correspondence to William C. Curtis concerning Latin America commission.
Folders	2-4		Outgoing correspondence of George Brown Goode and R. Edward Earll, 1891-1893. Includes Earll correspondence from Chicago.

Box 38 of 95

Folder	1		Outgoing correspondence of George Brown Goode, R. Edward Earll, and Frederick William True, 1893-1895
Folder	2		Outgoing correspondence of George Brown Goode and R. Edward Earll, 1893-1895

Box 39 of 95

CORRESPONDENCE AND RECORDS RELATED TO SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION EXHIBITS AND ACCESSIONS, 1890-1894

These records consist of incoming and outgoing correspondence and records of the National Museum curators pertaining to collection and preparation of exhibits. Records usually include an exhibit proposal, reports, notes, memoranda, and labels. Of particular interest are materials concerning the Latin American exhibit, directed by W. E. Curtis, and records and correspondence concerning accessions before and after the exposition.

Box 40 of 95

Folders	1-2		Latin American exhibit, 1890-1893. Includes correspondence regarding appropriations and authority for this exhibit; most is outgoing correspondence of William E. Curtis, in charge of Latin American Department; correspondence from Commissioners in various countries.
Folder	3		List of collections loaned for exhibit, 1891-1893
Folder	4		Foreign and domestic accessions, 1890-1894

Box 41 of 95

ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS, 1891-1893

This material consists of miscellaneous correspondence and records pertaining to administrative matters. Of particular interest is a copy of George Brown Goode's "First Draft of a System of Classification for the World's Columbian Exposition."

Oversized material removed to other housing; folder contains copies of these materials.

Folder	4		Floor plans. Includes cases loaned for Women's Building.
Folder	5		Telegram file, 1899-1901
Folder	6		Requests for payment of claims, 1892-1893
Folder	7		Customs Service. Items exempt from duty 1890, 1893.
Folder	8		Transportation, 1892-1893
Folder	9		Glass, 1892
Folder	10		Furniture, 1892. Includes sketch of grating by C. H. Ourand.
Folder	11		Excerpts: annual reports, 1888-1897. Includes G. Brown Goode's "First Draft of a System of Classification for the World's Columbian Exposition."
Folder	12		Congressional documents and newspaper clippings, 1890-1900

Box 42 of 95

Folder	1		Shipping list from Washington to Chicago, 1893
Folder	2		Expenditures by departments at the World's Columbian Exposition
Folder	3		Financial record, 1893. Includes letterpress correspondence of R. Edward Earll from Chicago.
Folder	4		Allotment book, 1890-1893. Includes itemized vouchers and payroll register.
Folder	5		R. Edward Earll allotment account, 1893

Boxes 42A-42B of 95

• Vouchers no. 13-699, 1891-1893 (not inclusive)

SERIES 11.
The Cotton States and International Exposition (Atlanta, 1895), 1894-1896, 1902.

The Cotton States and International Exposition opened in Atlanta, Georgia, on September 18, 1895, and closed December 31, 1895. Congress had, in 1894, supported this exposition by providing for government participation and also encouraged an exhibit featuring Black accomplishments.

The purpose of the Smithsonian exhibit was to explain and illustrate all phases of the activities of the Institution, especially the National Museum. However, due to limited appropriations, the preparation of the exhibit required the Museum to disturb its own exhibits and left the National Museum in a state of disrepair. The exhibits produced attempted to accomplish four goals:
(1) To give as good an idea as possible of the character of the treasures which were preserved in the Museum by presenting an epitome of its contents, with contributions from every department;
(2) To illustrate the methods by which science controls, classifies, and studies great accumulations of material objects, and uses these as a means for the discovery of truth;
(3) To exhibit the manner in which collections are arranged, labeled, and displayed in a great museum;
(4) To afford as much instruction and pleasure as possible to those who may visit the Atlanta Exposition, to impress them with the value of museums as agencies for public enlightenment, and thus to encourage the formation of public museums in the cities of the South.

George Brown Goode again represented the Smithsonian Institution on the Government Board for the Cotton States and International Exposition. R. Edward Earll served as the chief special agent in charge of exhibits, and William V. Cox was the chief clerk. The series consists of correspondence of George Brown Goode and R. Edward Earll concerning their respective duties. Of special interest is a list of suggestions made to curators about exhibits. Other materials include related publications, administrative correspondence, records, notes, and photographs.

Box 43 of 95

GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1894-1896

The records consist of general correspondence concerning Smithsonian participation in the Cotton States Exposition. The material is primarily incoming correspondence to George Brown Goode and R. Edward Earll. It covers general preparation and administrative aspects of the exhibit.

Box 44 of 95

Folders

1-3

Outgoing letterpress correspondence books, 1894-1896. Mostly George Brown Goode and R. Edward Earll from Washington and Atlanta.

Box 45 of 95

DEPARTMENTAL EXHIBIT LISTS AND RELATED MATERIALS, 1895

These records consist mostly of proposed exhibits suggested by Goode or by curators for use in the exposition, as well as correspondence, expense accounts, and notes on specific exhibits.

GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE AND RELATED MATERIALS, 1894-1896

These records consist of correspondence and related records pertaining to the Atlanta Exposition. They include Government Board correspondence, notes, lists, newspaper clippings, and other miscellaneous material.

Box 46 of 95

RELATED MATERIALS AND PUBLICATIONS, 1894-1895

These records consist of various printed materials, primarily authored by the Exposition Committee, related to the Cotton States and International Exposition.

MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS, 1894-1896

Oversized material removed to other housing; folder contains copies of these materials.

Folder

12

U. S. Government Building. Includes architectural drawings, floor plans.

FINANCIAL RECORDS, 1894-1896

Boxes 46A-46B of 95

PHOTOGRAPHS

• Official views of the United States Government Exhibits, 1896, Part I and II. Record Unit 95, Series 7 should also be consulted.

SERIES 12.
Tennessee Centennial Exposition (Nashville, 1897), 1896-1898, 1901.

The purpose of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition was to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of Tennessee's admission into the Union. Housed in such neoclassical structures as the still-extant Parthenon, the exposition opened in Nashville, Tennessee, on May 1, 1897, and closed on October 30, 1897.

In 1897, Congress approved an act to assist the exposition by providing for government exhibits. Eighteen departments of the Smithsonian Institution prepared special exhibits. These exhibits were installed and oriented around the Bureau of Ethnology's miniature Kiowa camping circle in the Government Building.

Frederick W. True represented the Smithsonian on the Government Board for the Tennessee Exposition. William V. Cox was the chief special agent in charge of the exhibits, and was also appointed secretary to the Government Board of Management. This series consists of general correspondence and records of the Smithsonian Institution pertaining to the Tennessee Centennial Exposition. The major correspondents are Frederick W. True and William V. Cox. The documentation of the exhibits is limited. Of special interest are selected responses by curators to questions about deficiencies in their exhibitions. Other related materials include newspaper clippings, reports, documents, records, and specimen lists.

Box 47 of 95

GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1896-1897

This correspondence consists of incoming and some outgoing correspondence relating to personnel matters. Most outgoing correspondence is by William V. Cox and deals with his position as special agent. Correspondence includes some exhibit preparation materials.

U. S. GOVERNMENT BOARD OF MANAGEMENT RECORDS, 1897

These records consist of miscellaneous correspondence, plans, notes, newspaper clippings, and documents pertaining to the U.S. Government Board of Management records for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition. The majority of incoming correspondence is to William V. Cox, Secretary of the Government Board.

MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS, 1896-1897

These records consist of Smithsonian reports on the Tennessee Centennial Exposition and other miscellaneous administrative and financial records. Of particular interest are curators' reports on deficiencies in their departmental exhibits.

Box 48 of 95

Folder	1		Specimen lists, 1897
Folder	2		Financial records, 1897
Folder	3		Labels record book, 1897
Folder	4		Time book, 1884-1897. Includes record of time worked by employees at exposition, plus some recorded at other expositions.

Box 48A of 95

OUTGOING CORRESPONDENCE, 1897-1898

These records consist of outgoing letterpress books. Correspondents include Frederick W. True, William V. Cox, and J. L. Willige.

Box 48B of 95

PHOTOGRAPHS

Oversize official views of the United States Government Building, 1898. (See also Record Unit 95, Series 7).

SERIES 13.
Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition (Omaha, 1898), 1896-1899.

The Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition, held in Omaha, Nebraska, opened June 1, 1898, and continued until October 31, 1898. A visit from President McKinley and an exhibit featuring live Indians were the highlights of this exposition.

An Act of Congress authorized this exposition and intended it to illustrate the resources of the United States and to demonstrate the progress and civilization of the Western Hemisphere. The act appropriated $20,000 to the Smithsonian for its exhibit.

The exhibits concentrated on the three main departments of the National Museum--anthropology, biology and geology--though other bureaus were represented. The Smithsonian representative to the Government Board was Frederick W. True. True directed Smithsonian participation and also prepared the Biology Department exhibit. William V. Cox served as chief special agent in charge of the exhibits, and J. L. Willige was acting chief