The Squid List

Laughing Squid presents
The Squid List
San Francisco Bay Area Art, Culture & Technology Events

SF History: New Technology at the 1915 PPIE

The San Francisco History Association presents:

New Technology at the 1915 P.P.I.E. - Panama Pacific International Exposition

Guest speaker: Laura Ackley Tuesday, August 22, 2006Doors open 7 PM $5 for non-SFHA members, free for SFHA members One of the main purposes of World’s Fairs always has been to introduce the “latest and greatest” to the public. At the Panama Pacific International Exposition, no exhibit could be considered for an award of merit unless it was based on a product or process new since the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition. PPIE Historian Laura Ackley will discuss a variety of the new technologies displayed at the fair. Ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous, these exhibits may elicit warm nostalgia, amazement, laughter and even a wince or two. We will sample wonders from many areas of the fair, including The Palace of Food Products, The Palace of Liberal Arts, The Palace of Horticulture, and The Joy Zone. We’ll take a ride on the Strauss Aeroscope, Visit the Panama Canal in miniature, and walk through a model mine before learning the Secrets of Mental Telepathy.

Laura holds graduate degrees in Architecture from Harvard University and the University of California at Berkeley. Her Master’s thesis, “Illuminating the Jewel City” forms the basis for her current manuscript. She has published a number of articles on the Bay Area special effects and animation industries, and specializes in 3-D visualization of historic architecture.