Centennial Exhibition Buildings

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World’s Fairs (or Expositions) were all the rage throughout the 19th century. Largely focused on industry and technology, the United States hosted their first World’s Fair in 1876 – the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. Attendees from all over the world flocked to the city’s Fairmount Park between May and November to see the latest in technology, art, and architecture.

Opportunists also came in droves, and Professor A.S. Low may just be one such example. This trade card shows five of the most prominent buildings on the fairgrounds, while the verso provides terms & conditions for a trail of Professor Low’s Magnetic Liniment and his Hygiene Liver Pills. A warning accompanies, “TAKE SMALL DOSES AT FIRST.”