Celebrating 250 Years of America's Founding
- Yen Ho
- 3 hours ago
- 5 min read
This summer is a special one. Not only is the FIFA World Cup is playing in the US, we are also celebrating 250 years of America's founding. It's such an exciting time for everyone to come together and celebrate as one nation. It's also a great opportunity for travelers and tourists to learn about America's founding and how it shapes us today.
As we celebrate 250 years of America's founding, let's take a look back 100 years ago when the country celebrated America's founding in 1926, and how Ambler celebrated 150 years of America's founding.
1926 Sesquicentennial International Exposition
"On March 19, 1925, President Coolidge in a proclamation invited the nations of the world to participate in the Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition 'for the purpose of exhibiting the progress of the United States and other nations in art, science and industry, trade and commerce and the developments of the products of the air, the soil, the mine, the forest and the seas,' and requested that they co-operate with the Exposition 'by appointing representatives and sending thereto such exhibits as will most fitly and fully illustrate their resources, their industries, and their progress in civilization.'"
- Erastus Long Austin (1929)
It all started in 1916 when John Wanamaker proposed having Philadelphia be the host of the next exposition as an opportunity to display the city's history where the Declaration of Independence was signed. 10 years ago, the fair opened on May 31, 1926, and it took place in South Philadelphia between the Naval Yard and Packer Avenue, and between Tenth and Twenty-Third Streets.
At the exposition, there were "palaces" built and exhibition halls and spaces to represent thirty-one states, four territories, and nine foreign nations. A stadium (formally the John F. Kennedy Stadium) was built to hold for special events as well as an 80-foot illuminated Liberty Bell spanning Broad Street.
Despite the extravagant decorations and displays the exposition had, the planning for the huge event did not go well due to the aftermath of World War I, thus causing delays and disruptions in the constructions. There was also a disappointing number of people who paid tickets to attend. Their expectations of visitors would be at least 30-50 million people, but only at least four million showed up. Weather also played a role in the exposition's failure. The fair ended on November 30.
"Freed for development after the fair, the grounds of the Sesquicentennial International Exposition became Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) Park, Marconi Plaza, the Packer Park neighborhood, and the sports complex. Following the great success of the Centennial Exhibition in 1876, the Sesquicentennial of 1926 proved to be a disappointment. The city initiated planning of another fair for the Bicentennial in 1976, but it refused to host another exposition without funding from the federal government."
- Martin W. Wilson
There were many local presence at the Sesquicentenial Exposition:
Keasbey and Mattison Company representing one of the companies under the Department of Labor and Industry
Mrs. A. H. Reeve of Ambler representing The National Congress of Parents and Teachers
Mr. and Mrs. Henry B. Coxe of Penllyn hosted many dinners at their home for prominent figures from Portugal, England, and Argentina on behalf of the Women’s Committee.
Mr. and Mrs. Roland Taylor of Gwynedd Valley hosted the Danish minister for a luncheon at the Ritz Carlton on behalf of the Women’s Committee.
Philadelphia’s High Street
One of the attractions built for the exposition was the recreation of Philadelphia's High Street during the city's colonial period. 20 buildings were built along tour guides who dressed up in period clothing to interact with visitors. The idea came from Elizabeth Price Martin, chair of the Women’s Committee of 1926.
Fun Fact # 1: Elizabeth was behind the renovation of the Historic Strawberry Mansion in East Fairmount Park.
Two of the buildings the residents of Ambler were part of were the Little Wooden House and the Declaration House. They were part of the Ambler Girl Scouts, and were chosen to represent Ambler at the exposition at the Little Wooden House that served as a gathering space, showcase for Girl Scout activities, and host for regional troops who participated in the fair's opening pageants.
"This replica house was meant to represent 'the type of houses that stood adjacent to the Friends' Almshouse where they cared for" sufferers of the yellow fever epidemic of 1793. According to the pamphlet. The Little Wooden House , these houses continued to serve the needy after the epidemic, when they became accommodations for the poor members of the Society of Friends. Noted in the pamphlet, this particular 'Little Wooden House' stood after many of its larger neighboring counterparts had been demolished, continuing to serve 'the less fortunate.' The 1926 house was set back from the main thoroughfare creating a front yard."
- Ellen Freedman, Page 72
Boxing at the Sesqui Stadium
Another attraction that the exposition had was a world championship boxing match in the Sesquicentennial Stadium (formally the John F. Kennedy Stadium). Lower Gwynedd residents like Frank Howard and Herman Meyle attended the match between champion Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney. It was considered one of the best matches of the 1920s, and it drew over 120,000 people. The boxing match brought in people from not only Philadelphia but also from places outside the city, New York, New Jersey, Chicago, and dozens of other places. Despite the exposition being a failure, the boxing matches helped boost the event in attendance, who were in favor of watching sports.
Ambler Day
Just after the club was established in 1926, the Kiwanis Club of Ambler came up with the idea of creating "Ambler Day" to promote the town's history and existence. This event coincided with the sesquicentennial exposition in Philadelphia, so this idea was strongly support by the community.
The first annual event was held on October 20, 1926 at the Sesquicentennial Exposition. Churches, scouts, organizations, and everyone in Ambler were encouraged to participate in the event. With the support needed, they got a special train ride on the Pennsylvania Reading Railroad from the Whitemarsh station to the exposition.
Even though the exposition wasn't a success, Ambler Day was a success with all the expenses (train and admission tickets) paid off. Nearly 700 people attended the exposition.
Bibliography
"Ambler Day At The Sesqui." Ambler Gazette. September 23, 1926. Page 1. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/papd/islandora/object/papd%3Awivp-gazett_14308.
"Ambler Rearin' To Go To Sesqui" Ambler Gazette. October 14, 1926. Page 1. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/papd/islandora/object/papd%3Awivp-gazett_15911.
Austin, Erastus Long. The Sesqui-centennial international exposition : a record based on official data and departmental reports. (Philadelphia: Current Publications, 1929): 39, 149, 175-176, 269, 379.
"Complete Success Of Ambler Day." Ambler Gazette. October 28, 1926. Page 1. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/papd/islandora/object/papd%3Awivp-gazett_16794.
Duffy, Edward W. "Women’s Committee of 1926 Brought Historic Preservation to the Masses." Hidden City Philadelphia. Last modified November 10, 2022. https://hiddencityphila.org/2022/11/womens-committee-of-1926-brought-historic-preservation-to-the-masses/.
Freedman, Ellen. THE WOMEN'S COMMITTEE AND THEIR HIGH STREET EXHIBIT AT THE PHILADELPHIA SESQUICENTENNIAL EXPOSITION OF 1926: A THESIS, The Graduate Program in Historic Preservation, Presented to the faculties of the University of Pennsylvanian Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE. (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 1988): 72, 151, 171.
Philadelphia (Pa.) - Publisher. Through the Grounds of the Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition at Philadelphia, Pa. [recto], 1926, Map. General Maps. Free Library of Philadelphia: Philadelphia, PA. https://libwww.freelibrary.org/digital/item/52620. (accessed Jun 29, 2026)
"The Dempsey-Tunney Fight of 1926." The PhillyHistory Blog. January 1, 2009. https://blog.phillyhistory.org/index.php/2009/01/the-dempsey-tunney-fight-of-1926/.
Wilson, Martin W. Sesquicentennial International Exposition (1926). The Encyclopedia
of Greater Philadelphia. Accessed June 29, 2026. https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/essays/sesquicentennial-international-exposition/.
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