12. The Centennial Exposition of 1876
The Gilded Age was only beginning when the United States celebrated its centennial in 1876, which was marked by the first World’s Fair ever held in America. From May to November, 1876, the anniversary was celebrated at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, with 37 countries participating in exhibits and activities which entertained more than 10 million visitors. Much of the sinew of the Gilded Age was on display in support of the exhibition; the city operated special streetcars to convey visitors to and from the site; the Pennsylvania Railroad operated special trains to New York, Baltimore, Washington, and Pittsburgh. Steam ferries approached the Exposition grounds via the Schuylkill River from Philadelphia.
Visitors to the Exposition during the summer of 1876 were presented with the Gilded Age at its height, in fashion and social behavior, technological achievements, advances in transportation, in medicine, and in entertainment. They were awed by the massive Corliss Steam Engine, which provided the power for the rest of the Exposition. They viewed examples of the technological progress of humanity, including typewriters, dishwashers, sewing machines, a mechanical calculator, and Gatling guns. While Gatling’s were on display at the Exposition in Philadelphia in June 1876, Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer left his behind when he pursued the Sioux to the Little Big Horn. The news of his and his command’s demise shocked visitors to Philadelphia from around the world.