1915-2015Celebrating the

Centennials of Two World’s Fairs

January 1, 1915

Panama-California Exposition opens in San Diego

January 26, 1915President Woodrow Wilson Signs the Rocky Mountain National Park Act

February 8, 1915

D.W. Griffith’s epic, “The Birth of a Nation” premiers

February 19, 1915

Start of Gallipoli Campaign (WWI)

February 20, 1915

Panama-Pacific International Exposition opens

February 22, 1915

Germany begins unrestricted submarine warfare.

Grand Prix Race at Panama Pacific International Exposition.

February 23, 1915

Stockholders’ Day at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

March 6, 1915

Vanderbuilt Cup Race at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

March 14, 1915

Pioneering stunt aviator Lincoln Beachey is killed performing aerial maneuvers at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition

March 16, 1915

The United States Federal Trade Commission is created.

Fresno County Day at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

March 25

U.S. Navy fleet enters San Francisco Bay to visit the exposition.

March 31, 1915

Inventors and businessmen Thomas Edison and Henry Ford visit the Panama-California Exposition.

April 1, 1915

World’s Social Progress Congress Day at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

April 5, 1915

Jack Johnson loses the World Heavyweight Boxing Title to Jess Willard

April 12-13, 1915

Far Western Wrestling Championships held at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

April 22, 1915

Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle and Mabel Normand visit the Panama-Pacific International Exposition to film “Mabel and Fatty Viewing the World's Fair at San Francisco.”

April 24, 1915

Turkey issues deportation order for Armenians, beginning of the Armenian Genocide.

May 5-8, 1915

Panama-Pacific International Exposition boxing championships take place.

May 6, 1915

Babe Ruth hits his first major league home run with the Boston Red Sox.

May 7, 1915

Cunard ocean liner Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat, 123 Americans perish.

May 20, 1915

National Congress of Mothers and Parent-Teacher Association Day at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

May 23, 1915

Italy enters World War I on the side of the Triple Entente.

June 4, 1915

American Sweet Pea Society Day and International Conference of Women Workers to Promote Peace Day at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

June 8, 1915

William Jennings Brian resigns as Secretary of State over disagreement over U.S. handling of Lusitania sinking.

June 10, 1915

The Girl Scouts are founded.

June 11, 1915

Hawaiian Day at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

June 17, 1915

Friends of the Pacific Day and National Conference on Weights and Measures take place at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

July 10, 1915

San Joaquin Valley Day at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

July 10-17, 1915

Panama-Pacific International Exposition Tennis Championships.

July 15-17, 1915

Far Western Swimming Championships take place at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

July 24, 1915

Excursion ship Eastland capsizes in Lake Michigan, with the loss of 852 lives.

July 27, 1915

Former President Theodore Roosevelt gives a speech at the Panama-California Exposition.

July 28, 1915

U.S. Occupation of Haiti begins. 330 Marines land at Port-au-Prince to secure U.S. business interests.

August 6-7, 1915

National Association of Retail Druggists conference at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

August 14-September 4, 1915

P.P.I.E. International Yachting Regatta.

August 16, 1915

A hurricane strikes Galveston, Texas, killing 12 people and causing $8-million in property damage.

September 4, 1915

The U.S. Military places Haiti under martial law.

September 16, 1915

Farmers Day at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

Former President Taft addresses a large crowd at the Spreckels Organ at the Panama-California Exposition.

October 4-9, 1915

Panama-Pacific International Exposition Lacrosse Championships.

October 12, 1915

The 1 millionth Model T rolls off the Ford assembly line.

October 19, 1915

The U.S. recognizes General Venustiano Carranza as the legitimate president of Mexico and imposes an embargo on all Mexican territories not controlled by Carranza.

October 23, 1915

Tens of thousands of women suffragists march in New York City, demanding the right to vote.

November 29-December 1, 1915

Pet Stock Show at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

December 4, 1915

The Panama-Pacific International Exposition closes.

December 13, 1915

Albert Einstein publishes his theory of general relativity, changing physics forever.

December 18

President Woodrow Wilson marries Edith Bolling Galt.

January 1, 1916

The Panama-California Exposition continues for another year, taking on a number of attractions from the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.