Lake Watuga - Nashville, TN - Permanent World Fair and Expo Structures on Waymarking.com

The Centennial Exposition, held May 1 through October 30, 1897, was "essentially a fair on a grand scale," wrote A. W. Crouch and H. D. Claybrook in Our Ancestors Were Engineers. Attractions included 12 large buildings featuring exhibits on the commercial, industrial, agricultural, and educational interests of the state; a "midway" including Egyptian, Cuban, and Chinese villages; a "Giant See-saw" designed by local engineer and steel fabricator Arthur J. Dyer; Venetian gondoliers on newly created Lake Watauga; a Venetian Rialto bridge designed by local architect C. A. Asmus; parades and "sham battles" by the Tennessee Militia; fireworks and other entertainment; and a 250-foot flag staff designed by E. C. Lewis. Major Lewis also had conceived the idea to create a replica of the 5th-century B. C. Athenian Parthenon to house the art exhibit, then commissioned local architect W. C. Smith to make the needed drawings.

The Parthenon and Lake Watuga are the only original remnants of the fair on the original fair grounds.

Original Name of Structure (during fair): Lake Watuga Current Name of Structure: Lake Watuga Fair Name: Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition Location: Nashville, TN, USA Year of Fair: 1897 Architect/Designer: Not listed Theme of Fair: Not listed Website Proof: Not listed Website Reference: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
To help give a different perspective and to better the waymark for future visitors please tell us about your visit and upload a favorite photograph you took of the waymark. Although visiting this waymark in person is the only thing required of you to receive credit for your visit, taking the time to add this information is greatly appreciated.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   09/01/2018 Raven visited it 06/16/2018 wildernessmama visited it 06/08/2018 stevepre2 visited it 11/29/2017 haole122 visited it 12/14/2013 QueensGrantMusic visited it 07/07/2013 thegorilla23 visited it 01/26/2013 BruceS visited it 06/09/2012 TerraViators visited it 10/21/2009 fatcat161 visited it 09/07/2008 Lee-2 visited it 05/01/2008 NickTnReb visited it 04/20/2007 LSUMonica visited it

View all visits/logs