The Centennial International Exhibition of 1876 was the first official World's Fair to be held in the United States, and was held in Philadelphia to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Joseph Shields Wilson (1835-1903), founder of the Wilmington Steamboat Company, attended and this collection includes his pass and a photograph.

The Centennial International Exhibition of 1876 celebrated the one hundreth anniversary of American Independence. Held in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, it was the first major U.S. world's fair. This collection contains Centennial Exhibition photographs, albums, scrapbooks, and ephemera