Portraits of Progress in New South Appalachia: Three Expositions in Knoxville, Tennessee, 1910-1913

The following work is an examination of three expositions held in Knoxville, TN: The Appalachian Expositions of 1910 and 1911 and the National Conservation Exposition in 1913. World's fairs were ubiquitous across the United States at the turn of the century, but these were the first to be held in the southern Appalachian region. Thus, they provide a rare opportunity for the historian to examine society in a condensed time frame. Although this method has been applied to other expositions at other times, it has yet to be applied to southern Appalachia.

The goal of this thesis is to ascertain the messages of each of these fairs. From an extensive examination of available source material, it is clear that each one of these three expositions attempted to apply the "New South" vision of economic and cultural uplift to the southern Appalachian region. The two Appalachian Expositions attempted to combat local problems, such as racism and perceived backwardness, with progressive displays and oratory. Although they were quite similar, the second of these affairs became more conservative as the social elite of Knoxville took control of the event to prevent the deterioration of a highly stratified social order. The 1913 National Conservation Exposition was designed to be a national affair which narrowed its focus to the crucial issue of conservation: the efficient and responsible exploitation of the nation's resources. In practice, however, this fair differed little from its predecessors; it preached essentially the same New South message, with a few minor modifications. The immediate effects of the expositions were favorable: profit, publicity and local enthusiasm. The ultimate New South goals of the ventures, however, were never realized.