The Eastern States Agricultural and Industrial Exposition was founded more than a century ago to "promote the agricultural and industrial development of the eastern states." Held at the fairgrounds in West Springfield, Massachusetts, the inaugural event was the National Dairy Show in 1916, followed by what would become known as "The Big E," the combined "state fair" of the six New England states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Weathering floods...

During his career as an actor, William Gillette portrayed world-renowned character Sherlock Holmes in more than 1,300 performances.His career as a playwright and actor afforded him the opportunity to purchase a 184-acre estate, where he also built a twenty-four-room medieval-style castle. Overlooking the Connecticut River, Gillette's castle was complete with spy mirrors, sliding furniture, hidden rooms and a three-mile quarter-scale railroad. Since becoming a state...

Held in Philadelphia from May 10 through October 10, the 1876 Centennial Exhibition celebrated the 100th anniversary of American independence. Philadelphia hosted 37 nations in five main buildings and 250 additional structures on 285 acres of land. The celebration looked backward to commemorate the progress made over the 100-year period, and it announced to the world that American invention and innovation was on a par with that of our foreign counterparts. Patriotism abounded, as did messa...

Since its opening in 1867, the Tunbridge World's Fair has drawn hundreds of thousands of people to its one-of-a-kind event, showcasing the best of regional agriculture and entertainment. The fair, originally intended to determine who owned the fastest horse or best-looking cow, began as an improvised event in farmer Elisha Lougee's North Tunbridge pasture and quickly grew into the complex it is today, with well-developed fairgrounds centered around a half-mile racetrack. During the 1929 fa...

As many as 15,000 covered bridges were built in North America over the past 200 years. Fewer than 1,000 remain.In America's Covered Bridges, authors Terry E. Miller and Ronald G. Knapp tell the fascinating story of these bridges, how they were built, the technological breakthroughs required to construct them and above all the dedication and skill of their builders. Each wooden bridge, whether still standing or long gone, has a story to tell about the natur...

In the late 1960s, Spokane's civic leaders were desperately looking for a way to revitalize a large section of downtown, especially a motley collection of little-used railroad lines and polluted industrial sites along the Spokane River. Their solution was to use the area for Expo '74, which was billed as the first ecologically themed world's fair. Critics predicted the project was sure to fail, as Spokane was the smallest city to ever host a world's fair, but history proved them wrong. Fro...

When the world comes to Tennessee, the world is going to have a good time. Once referred to as the "scruffy little city by the Tennessee River," Knoxville hosted the world's fair from May 1 through October 31, 1982, and provided one big party for people to visit from all over to witness the live entertainment, parades, displays, exhibits, musical and sporting events, food, costumes, rides, games, and arcades. Based on the theme "Energy Turns the World," Expo '82 was the first world's fair ...

The 1964-1965 New York World's Fair: Creation and Legacy uses rare, previously unpublished photographs to examine the creation of the fair and the legacies left behind for future generations. When the gates of the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair swung open on April 24, 1964, the first of more than 51 million lucky visitors entered, ready to witness the cutting edge of worldwide technology and progress. Faced with a disappointing lack of foreign participants due to political contention, the...

A close-up look at this historic Massachusetts landmark, including photos and illustrations.Though Salem is located on Massachusetts's scenic North Shore, its history has not always been picturesque. The "Witch City," as it is internationally known, is home to numerous landmarks dedicated to the notorious trials of 1692.Of these, the Witch House is perhaps most significant—the former residence of Judge Jonathan Corwin, whose court ordered the execution of t...

After enduring 10 harrowing years of the Great Depression, visitors to the 1939-1940 New York World's Fair found welcome relief in the fair's optimistic presentation of the "World of Tomorrow." Pavilions from America's largest corporations and dozens of countries were spread across a 1,216-acre site, showcasing the latest industrial marvels and predictions for the future intermingled with cultural displays from around the world. Well known for its theme structures, the Trylon and Perispher...

A window into the past of Historic Eastern Cemetery, illuminating centuries of Portland's history through the stories of those laid to rest.Eastern Cemetery holds more than 350 years of Portland's rich history. From bank robbers and murdering mutineers to Quakers and war heroes, the lives of those interred offer a window into the past. Within the sacred burial ground rest settlers who struggled with the natives over resources, citizens who had to choose their alleg...

For centuries, heroic men and women have guarded the treacherous yet beloved Cape Cod coastlines. From Provincetown to Chatham, Sandwich to Cuttyhunk, and many towns in between, residents have relied on the Atlantic for employment and nourishment. But Cape Cod has always been plagued with a shifting coastline that consistently defies mariners� efforts to pass through Massachusetts waters. In 1792, as shipping increased, mariners petitioned for a sorely needed lighthouse. It was not until 1...