Finding aid for the A. H. Zychick Great Lakes Exposition Album


Title:
A. H. Zychick Great Lakes Exposition Album
Repository:
Western Reserve Historical Society
Phone: 216-721-5722
http://www.wrhs.org
Creator:
Zychick, A. H.
Dates:
1936
Quantity:
0.30 linear feet (1 container)
Abstract:
A. H. Zychick was a Cleveland, Ohio, attorney and United States Commissioner General to the Great Lakes Exposition. The Great Lakes Exposition was held during the summers of 1936 and 1937 on the waterfront of downtown Cleveland, Ohio. Among the most popular attractions was the Billy Rose Aquacade, featuring water ballet shows starring Johnny Weismueller and Eleanor Holm. The collection consists of photographs, postcards, and newspaper clippings accumulated by A. H. Zychick. Photographs include group portraits and views of A. H. Zychick, various Exposition and government officials, United States government exhibits, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the Exposition.
Identification:
PG 227
Location:
closed stacks
Language:
The records are in English

History of the Great Lakes Exposition

Historical sketch courtesy of the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History

The Great Lakes Exposition of 1936 and 1937 was held in Cleveland, Ohio. It provided Clevelanders with relief from the dreariness of the Great Depression and helped them celebrate the centennial of Cleveland's incorporation as a city. The exposition was the idea of Frank J. Ryan and Lincoln G. Dickey, the city's first public hall commissioner.

Dudley S. Blossom became chairman of a civic committee that contributed $1.5 million to transform the idea into reality. Built on land extending along the lakefront from West 3rd Street to about East 20th Street, the 135-acre exposition also incorporated the Mall area, Public Hall, and Municipal Stadium. Work began in April 1936, and in just 80 days the exposition opened to the public on June 27, 1936 for a 100-day run. Among the attractions which drew 4 million visitors to the lakefront that year were a "Streets of the World" district that featured 200 cafes and bazaars reminiscent of the countries they represented, a midway with rides and sideshows, a Court of the Presidents, a Hall of Progress, an Automotive Building, an art gallery, a Marine Theater, and horticultural gardens. The 1937 season opened on May 29 with a new attraction which became its most popular feature: an Aquacade that featured water ballet shows and starred Eleanor Holm and Johnny Weismuller. By the time the second season came to an end on September 15, nearly $70 million had been spent by approximately 7 million exposition visitors over the 2 years. The only vestiges of the festival remaining in 1995 were the Donald Gray Gardens directly north of the stadium.


click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Great Lakes Exposition

Scope and Content

The A. H. Zychick Great Lakes Exposition Album, 1936, consists of photographs, postcards, and newspaper clippings accumulated by A. H. Zychick. Photographs include group portraits and views of A. H. Zychick, various Exposition and government officials, United States government exhibits, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the Exposition. The collection includes 42 black and white photographs and postcards that measure 13 x 14.5 inches and smaller.

Statement of Arrangement

The collection has been retained in original order.

Restrictions on Access

None.

Related Material: Related Material

The researcher should also consult PG 298 Great Lakes Exposition Photographs; and PG 114 Harold H. Burton Photographs.


Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Exhibitions -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Photographs.
Great Lakes Exposition (1936-1937 : Cleveland, Ohio) -- Photograph collections.
Zychick, A. H. -- Photograph collections.

Preferred Citation

[Container ___, Folder ___ ] PG 227 A. H. Zychick Great Lakes Exposition Album, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

Acquisition Information

Gift of A. H. Zychick in 1981.

Detailed Description of The Collection



A. H. Zychick Great Lakes Exposition Album, 1936

Box 1 / Volume 1
Album containing 36 photographs, 6 postcards, and newspaper clippings. Includes views of A. H. Zychick, various exposition and government officials, United States government exhibits, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the exposition, 1936