About the Centennial of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition
February 20, 2015 marks the 100th anniversary of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition (PPIE), the World’s Fair celebrating the completion of the Panama Canal and showcasing San Francisco—its recovery from the ashes of the 1906 earthquake and fire and its world trade potential. Throughout 2015, the PPIE100, a citywide consortium of cultural, civic, and historical organizations, will conduct centennial programs to commemorate the PPIE’s historical significance and to reflect on its legacy. Collaborating on what San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee described as “a uniquely San Francisco way to celebrate a centennial—to focus on then, now and the future” are:
Presenting Sponsor
On January 25, 1915, as one of the earliest events of the San Francisco Panama Pacific International Exposition, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (now AT&T) conducted the first transcontinental telephone call between New York City, San Francisco, Jekyll Island, Georgia and Washington, DC. Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone and co-founder of AT&T, initiated the historic call with a group of dignitaries in New York. His one-time assistant Thomas Watson received the call in San Francisco, AT&T President Theodore Vail participated from Jekyll Island, and U.S. President Woodrow Wilson spoke from the White House.
In recognition of this transformational moment in telecommunications history, and over a century of innovation milestones, AT&T is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.
Opening Weekend Sponsor
Centennial Sponsor
Sponsors
- Maurice Kanbar
- Town School
- D.N. & E.
- Walter & Company
- The Friend Family
- Koret Foundation
- Recology
- Tooley Trust
- Yerba Buena Community
Benefit District - Steve & Barbara Hearst
- Autodesk
- Barbro and Bernard Osher
- Christy & Stephen McAvoy
- Cody Anderson Wasney Architects
- Donna Ewald Huggins
- EHDD
- The Ferry Building
- Michelle & Chris Meany
- Pier 39
- Platinum Advisors
- Port of San Francisco
- McCalls
- Academy of Art University
core partners
- 640 Heritage Preservation Foundation
- Alliance Française de San Francisco
- Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association
- Berkeley Historical Society
- The Bill Ballas PPIE Collection
- The Book Club of California
- Cameron + Company
- Carolands Foundation
- China Culture Art Global Propagation Committee
- Chinese Historical Society of America
- Cloverdale Historical Society
- Commonwealth Club Of California
- Congregation Emanu-El
- Conservatory of Flowers
- Contra Costa County History Center
- Culinary Historians of Northern California
- Exploratorium
- Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
- Friends of the Exposition Organ
- Ghirardelli
- Guardians of The City
- Heyday
- Historic Vehicle Association
- History Center of San Luis Obispo County
- Historypin
- Irish-American Crossroads Festival
- KQED
- Kua`aina
- Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San Francisco
- The Novagem King
- Math Science Nucleus
- Mechanics' Institute
- Metropolitan Club
- Museum of the San Ramon Valley
- New Museum of Los Gatos
- Oakland Museum of California
- Optic Flare
- Portuguese Heritage Society of California
- Presidio Trust
- R. Christian Anderson
- San Francisco Arts Commission
- San Francisco Art Institute
- San Francisco Ballet
- San Francisco Heritage
- San Francisco History Association
- San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band
- San Francisco Parks Alliance
- San Francisco Public Library
- San Francisco Railway Museum and Gift Shop
- Save World Heritage - International Photograph Archive and Research Centre
- ScenePast
- SFO Museum
- Shaping San Francisco
- Society of California Pioneers
- La Societe Francaise De Bienfaisance Muttuelle
- Swanton Pacific Railroad Society
- Swedish American Patriotic League
- University of California Press
- The Victorian Alliance of San Francisco
- Western Neighborhoods Project
- World Arts West