Marin County proud of its booth at the Panama Pacific International Exposition, 1915
by Laurie Thompson
San Francisco’s 1915 World’s Fair to officially commemorate the opening of the Panama Canal and to unofficially showcase San Francisco’s renaissance following the 1906 earthquake, opened one hundred years ago on February 20, 1915.
The February 25, 1915 Marin Journal touts Marin County’s booth in the Fair’s California Building:
MARIN BOOTH MOST ATTRACTIVE FAIR FEATURE Immense Throng Gathers for the Opening day of the Exposition
“The greatest Worlds’ Fair ever held was duly opened last Saturday, February 20 -the Panama Pacific International. Close to 250,000 people participated in the ceremonies and were admitted into the grounds.
Considering the kind of weather we have been having during the past month, the day was fine and the visitors all seemed to enjoy the occasion….
A great portion of the California Building was in fine shape and Marin County’s booth was one of the most nearly complete. Our people were led to expect something fine, and they had reason to be proud of what they saw….
The Marin County booth in the California Building was the most attractive feature in the entire Exposition. It holds the commanding position in the building -at the head of the first aisle to the north- with the word Marin in bold letters across the hallway and over the stone arch-a little lower down hangs a huge electric globe with the word ‘Marin’ showing up prominently. As one walks towards the booth he can see the only window in the north side of the building and from it the Marin hills are in plain view.
Hettrich and Dolliver, the commissioners who designed and developed the booth, were the recipients of many deserving praises for their excellent work….
The entrance to the booth is a huge arch made of Sausalito stone and in the crevices are moss, ferns and other green growth. At each side are large redwood trees forming two columns upon either side, and between these trees on the west side is the panoramic view -oil painting- of Mt. Tamalpais, San Rafael, and Ross Valley showing the evergreen hills and the groups of handsome homes on both sides -many points of interest being brought out. This view was crowded all day with anxious people.
On the east side of the entrance is another attractive scene, a glen with water falls and running water, three deer, a buck, a doe and fawn, mounted and life-like -all genuine Marin products.
Over the stone arch are plainly written the following, ‘A goodly country and fruitful, with many blessing for the use of Man.’ Words of Sir Francis Drake when he landed at Drake’s Bay, June 17, 1579.
Above this is a realistic painting of the mountain with a profusion of ferns and other green shrubs, and another waterfall. In the center of the booth is an oval seat around a table. In the east end of the booth is an oil painting of the Sleepy Hollow dairy ranch, and on the shelves above it are samples of Rudolff’s Novato French cheese and some cans of Del Monte Fruit from the Novato cannery. On the walls are photographic views, cases containing specimens from Dr. Augustine’s collection of semi-precious stones, and other similar products from Marin County.
On the easterly wall is the history of Drake’s landing at Drake’s Bay in 1579, also a brief history of Chief Marin and his ancestors of the early Indian inhabitants of Marin three thousand years ago….”
The murals of Drake’s Landing, The Baptism of Chief Marin, and other oil paintings described in the article were painted by Ettore Serbaroli, who would go on to become a well-known painter in San Francisco and Marin County. He later taught Art at Tamalpais Military Academy (today’s Marin Academy) and left the Bay area in 1925 to work on the ceilings and interior decorations at Hearst Castle in San Simeon.
Three of the illustrations we include here are from the Serbaroli Family collection, including a close-up of the Drake’s Landing mural, whose current whereabouts are unknown. Serbaroli’s mural of the Baptism of Chief Marin hangs today at the Mission San Rafael.
Originally published at https://annetkent.kontribune.com.
