You can practically smell it already, the deep-fried Corny Dogs, the sweet scent of cotton candy and the excitement that the State Fair of Texas brings to Fair Park every fall. Opening today, Sept. 30 and running through Oct. 23, the Fair marks its 130th year of showcasing all the best that Texas has to offer — but in 1936, it took a year off. It was the 100th anniversary of the state’s independence from Mexico, and it was time to celebrate.
The Texas Centennial Exposition was the first world’s fair in the Southwest and cost the state $25 million (more than $428 million in today’s dollars) by the time it opened on June 6, 1936. About 50 buildings were added to Fair Park to hold the myriad exhibits, 30 of which still stand today, including the iconic Hall of State. The expansive display of art-deco architecture was led by noted Dallas architect George Dahl.
Despite its price tag, the exposition was a near-instant success. More than 6 million people are estimated to have walked Fair Park during its five-month run, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It was also a time of great social growth for the city — it marked the first international event that honored the contributions of black Americans via the Hall of Negro Life. The Texas Centennial Olympics in the Cotton Bowl was the first integrated athletic competition in the South, and Orson Welles directed an all-black cast in a production of “MacBeth.”
Many credited the exposition with pulling Dallas out of the Great Depression. By creating 10,000 jobs and bolstering the local economy by around $50 million (more than $856 in today’s dollars), Dallas was ready to return with the State Fair of Texas the following year. But scroll through the photos below for a look at the event that built up Fair Park.
Texas Centennial Exposition Federal Building. (Library of Congress)
“I am a mechanical man built by human hands” says the robot at the Texas Centennial Exposition. (Library of Congress)
State Department exhibit at the Texas Centennial Exposition. (Library of Congress)
Resettlement Administration traveling exhibit at the Texas Centennial Exposition. (Library of Congress)
Texas Centennial Exposition. (Library of Congress)
Texas Centennial Exposition. (Library of Congress)
Texas Centennial Exposition. (Library of Congress)
Resettlement Administration traveling exhibit at the Texas Centennial Exposition. (Library of Congress)
