Tennessee

When the world comes to Tennessee, the world is going to have a good time.

Once referred to as the "scruffy little city by the Tennessee River," Knoxville hosted the world's fair from May 1 through October 31, 1982, and provided one big party for people to visit from all over to witness the live entertainment, parades, displays, exhibits, musical and sporting events, food, costumes, rides, games, and arcades. Based on the theme "Energy Turns the World," Expo '82 was the first world's fair to be held in the southeastern United States in 97 years, hosting 22 countries and more than 11 million people. The news reports of the day declared the "World Came to Knoxville" as it hosted the official international exposition, fully licensed and sanctioned by the Bureau des Expositions Internationales in Paris, France.

Established in 1856 by the Shelby County Agricultural Society, the Mid-South Fair celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2006. Memphis, known as the cotton capital of the South, depended on agriculture for much of the 19th century, and the fair offered farmers and the general public a venue to learn of new products and to compete with others from the region. Through the Civil War, yellow fever epidemics, and two world wars, the fair has prevailed to become one of the largest in the nation. It has been a part of many lives and formed many memories of rides and rodeos, cotton candy and pronto pups, and that first big drop on the roller coaster. The Mid-South Fair: Celebrating 150 Years brings back those memories through words and photographs, taking the reader back to a time when excitement was only a ride away on an old wooden roller coaster.

The Tennessee Centennial Exposition, which celebrated Tennessee's 100th year of statehood, opened May 1, 1897, at Nashville's Centennial Park and enjoyed tremendous success during its six-month run. Citizens from all over Tennessee--and the nation--honored the state's history by sponsoring exhibits at the event, and thousands of visitors flocked to the fairgrounds each day to experience the excitement it offered. In this fascinating collection of over 200 images combined with informative, well-researched text, author Bobby Lawrence takes us on a journey into the past to relive the optimism and wonders of another time. Take a relaxing gondola ride on one of the park's four lakes or stroll the 200-acre grounds and visit a variety of buildings and exhibits featuring everything from ancient artifacts to scientific inventions, from on-site farms to international restaurants, from the thrilling Vanity Fair, a midway attraction comparable to today's amusement parks, to one of the first large displays of electric lights.

Over the past 150 years, the boundaries and demographics of South Nashville have changed dramatically. Starting out as an industrial and blue-collar area comprised of factories, mills, and rail yards, the area quickly grew, drawing thousands looking for employment or more affordable housing. South Nashville has traditionally been the most diverse part of the city, racially and culturally. During the past 30 years, stark changes have transformed the appearance of the southern portion of Nashville and Davidson County. Urban renewal programs and the construction of interstate highways resulted in the removal of thousands of buildings deemed as substandard, further obliterating traditional neighborhoods. Today, the district faces new challenges as many established neighborhoods now cope with gentrification.