San Diego [and] The California Pacific International Exposition

Double sided souvenir for the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition, held in San Diego’s Balboa Park.

The California Pacific International Exposition was held in San Diego’s Balboa Park between May and November of 1935. The initial attendance proved so successful that the fair was extended into a second season for 1936.

The event was organized to promote the city as a global commercial center and cultural destination, and several of the improvements designed for the exposition were made permanent afterward. Examples include the Old Globe Theater, the Ford Building, and the ‘House of Pacific Relations.’ Balboa Park’s distinctive Spanish Colonial Revival architecture originated with the 1915 World’s Fair held there but was expounded upon greatly in 1935.

This double-sided pictorial map shows both Balboa Park and the host city of San Diego. It was sponsored by Shell Oil and designed by the talented Don Bloodgood. Both images retain Bloodgood’s distinctive and whimsical style, with cartoonish architecture, exaggerated natural features, and comical figures engaged in a variety of (often amusing) activities. Historical elements are emphasized on the map of San Diego, which is flanked by scenes ranging from Spanish colonialism to the modern era.

A fun and brightly colored souvenir to commemorate an important event in San Diego’s history.