1905 Union Printing Co. Map of the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, Portland, Oregon

This is a 1905 Union Printing Company map of the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland, Oregon. The fair was a major commercial and cultural success, credited with a 100K boost in Portland's population in the five years following.

A Closer Look

Depicting the entire fairgrounds, including the artificial island built in Guild's Lake, exposition buildings are highlighted in bright yellow and labeled. Among the identified buildings are the U.S. Government Building, the Aeronautic Concourse, and the fisheries and irrigation halls. Many foreign pavilions line 'The Trail', which connects to the 'Bridge of Nations' across Guld's Lake. An index of 110 locations appears outside the right border and lists all the buildings and other attractions that may interest a visitor. A stamp in the lower right quadrant marks the Hotel Fairmount, which distributed the present example of this map. The Hotel Fairmount was built for the exposition across from the fair's main gate and still stands in Portland. It is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Lewis and Clark Exposition

The Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition (its official name was the Lewis and Clark Centennial and American Pacific Exposition and Oriental Fair)  took place from June 1 - October 15, 1905, in Portland, Oregon. Olmsted Brothers designed the fairgrounds on an artificial island on Guild Lake. Temporary buildings were constructed and lit with over 100,000 light bulbs. Twenty-one nations and 16 U.S. states built exhibits, along with the Smithsonian Institution and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. 1.6 million people visited the fair, a daily average of 11,600. The fair was also profitable, making a gross profit of nearly $85,000. Portland also experienced a population boom in the wake of the air, with the city's population growing from 161,000 to 270,000 between 1905 and 1910.

Publication History and Census

This map was published by the Union Printing Company and distributed by the Hotel Fairmount in 1905. We note two cataloged examples: the University of Washington and the University of Oregon. No record on the private market.