The state of California  had several exhibits in the Agriculture Palace that featured the diversity of agriculture in that state.  One of these was the Santa Clara County exhibit where free prunes were given out; the purpose of which was to educate passer-bys on the proper methods of cooking prunes and the value of dried fruits.  News spread fast of the prunes causing daily supplies to be entirely depleted by noon.  The exhibit was made under direction of the San Jose Chamber of Commerce and was maintained by Mr. Lloyd Childs. 

Left:  The Great Prune Bear of the Sacramento Valley.         Right: San Jose Agricultural Products

Above:  Another view of the Great Prune Bear with California officials. (Jessie Tarbox Beals photo)

San Jose Block

Santa Clara Mission

There was also an impressive model of an old mission church in Santa Clara County.  The arches of the church were lined with prunes and solid squares of peaches, and the corners were made of apricots.

	This is the Wine Temple in the Palace of Agriculture. Over three hundred varieties of wines, champagnes and brandies were shown here by the California Wine Growers.  The display was 33 feet high and covered 3,000 square feet.  Garlands of grape vines with large bunches of grapes decorated the temple.  Thirty five of the leading vineyards in California were represented.  California was predicting that it would become the vineyard of the world.  Photo by Jessie Tarbox Beals.
	The great elephant made from Almonds was not in the Palace of agriculture.  It was in the California exhibit in the Palace of Horticulture. Photo by Jessie Tarbox Beals.

References:

• Journal of Agriculture June 16, 1904.  Page 12

• World's Fair Bulletin, August 1904.  Pages 43, 46 and 51 (courtesy of Mike Truax)

Photos: Stereoviews from the collection of Lyndon Irwin.

This page was designed by Nathan Fortner and is maintained by Lyndon Irwin. 

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