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The legacy of the 1915 Panama California Exposition

Throughout Balboa Park, you can discover traces of what remain from the 1915 Exposition.

Aired 06/17/2015 | Rating NR

Ken Kramer's About San Diego

The legacy of the 1915 Panama California Exposition

Clip: Season 1 | 8m 47sVideo has Closed Captions

Throughout Balboa Park, you can discover traces of what remain from the 1915 Exposition.

A century ago, San Diego set out on a bold plan to celebrate what the Panama Canal would mean to us: the joining of the Pacific and Atlantic. The Panama California Expo lasted two years, but it left an enduring legacy in Balboa Park. Celebrate the buildings, historical events, and magical moments. See the ornate concrete remnants in the 'boneyard'. And view things changed, forgotten, or even gone!

Aired 06/17/2015 | Rating NR

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Ken Kramer's About San Diego is a local public television program presented by KPBS

The Panama California Exposition of 1915, Balboa Park

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The heart and soul of what Balboa Park is today can be traced back to the Expo of 1915. (2m 31s)

The legacy of the 1915 Panama California Exposition

Video has Closed Captions

Throughout Balboa Park, you can discover traces of what remain from the 1915 Exposition. (8m 47s)

Balboa Park Then and Now

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A Balboa Park Ranger has lovingly preserved unique relics of the 1915 Exposition. (2m 36s)

Getting to the Panama California Exposition of 1915

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Visitors from all over flocked to Balboa Park for the 1915 Expo. How did they get there? (2m 38s)

St. Francis Chapel, Balboa Park

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Very few people know about this hidden gem in Balboa Park. (1m 35s)

Lemon Grove Lips

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These red lips are part of the landscape of Lemon Grove, but how did they get there? (1m 21s)

Ford Road - Air and Space Museum, Balboa Park

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Ever wonder why there is a mural of cars in the Air & Space Museum? (1m 30s)

The California Tower, Balboa Park

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This 200-foot tall structure is a great place to take in a 360 degree view of San Diego! (1m 32s)

The San Diego Flume Water Project

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In 1888 our most remarkable water source was a 37 mile long flume, made of redwood. (3m 51s)

Wild Parrots of Ocean Beach

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Hundreds of wild parrots have made Ocean Beach & Pt. Loma home. Where did they come from? (3m 21s)

Honeymoon Bridge - Palm Canyon, Balboa Park

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Check out a spot that was rumored to lead to marital happiness for you and your loved one. (2m 6s)

Wisteria Candy Cottage

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This is a must-see stop for candy lovers. (3m 24s)

Engine 5119 at The Railroad Museum (Campo)

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This is a touching railroad love story about San Diego. (3m 23s)

Imperial Beach (IB) Rocks

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There is a secret in some rocks found at Imperial Beach. Find out what it is. (1m 27s)

Imperial Beach name

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A story about how Imperial Beach got its name. (1m 7s)

Stein Farm

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A Victorian farmhouse in National City has now become a living history museum. (1m 41s)

National City Depot

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Built in 1882, it is the oldest railway-related structure still standing in San Diego. (5m 28s)

San Diego County Street Names

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A story about the interesting street names in San Diego. (1m 26s)

The Ghost of Big Al (Barber)

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Ghost Story! Encinitas town barber Big Al died years ago but could still be around! (3m 47s)

Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum

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Great place to see and hear what early farm tractors, steam engines and more, were like. (5m 59s)

San Diego Chargers name

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A story about how we became the San Diego Chargers. (1m 52s)

San Diego, America's Finest City

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A story about how San Diego came to be "America's Finest City" (1m 33s)

Rolando name

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A story about how Rolando got its name. (1m 44s)

Poway Oak symbol

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A story about the special symbol of Poway. (1m 30s)

Pacific Beach & University Heights street names

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A story about the street names in Pacific Beach and University Heights. (1m 56s)

Oceanside name

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A story about how Oceanside got its name. (1m 45s)

Mission Beach Name

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A story about how Mission Beach got its name. (1m 33s)

Leucadia street names

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A story about the mythological street names in Leucadia. (1m 32s)

Kearny Mesa name

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A story about a name that's all around San Diego. (1m 30s)

Emerald Hills name

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A story about how Emerald Hills got its name. (1m 22s)

Cowles Mountain, Santee name

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A bittersweet story about a man named Cowles. (2m 20s)

Clairemont Mesa name

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A story about how Clairemont got its name. (1m 31s)

Bankhead Springs name

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A story about how Bankhead Springs got its name. (1m 29s)

Sunny Jim's Cave, La Jolla Cove

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Climb down stairs inside curio shop to see surf crashing in Sunny Jim's Ocean Cave. (1m 34s)

SDPD Shootout with Robert Anderson

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Ever wonder how SWAT came about? This story of a San Diego shootout will give some insight (5m)

Santa Ysabel Bells

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A modern chapel now stands here, surrounded by a mystery dating back to the 1920s. (1m 37s)

San Marcos Barn

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This small town barn has been the center of the San Marcos community for decades. (2m 9s)

San Diego's first Hispanic Cop

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Learn of San Diego's first Hispanic Police Officer and other SDPD history at this museum. (1m 36s)

Rohr Drop Hammer

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Why is a 13-ton piece of industrial equipment displayed like a hero of the South Bay? (1m 33s)

Ramon "Chunky" Sanchez, the "Troubadour of the Barrio"

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Meet San Diego's "Barriologist - the Troubadour of the Barrio"! (3m 23s)

Portugese Chapel, Cupolina

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How does this tiny landmark play such a big role in San Diego’s Portugese community? (1m 36s)

Nuevo (Ramona)

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This is the exact geographic center of San Diego! Find out more about this special place. (1m 19s)

Nudes - Zoro Garden, Balboa Park

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Home to butterflies now, this garden once had a living art exhibit that surprised many! (1m 34s)

Mission Beach Seawall

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Mission Beach Seawall, a coastal landmark, was built after damaging storms in the 1920s. (4m 53s)

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

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Marker inside campus gym recalls historic 1964 speech here by Dr. Martin Luther King. (1m 43s)

Mando's Dunes, Coronado Central Beach

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One man’s creative clean-up effort has made a special visual impact on Coronado’s beach. (1m 33s)

Lindbergh Flight - Air and Space Museum

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The Spirit of St. Louis lives in San Diego! (1m 42s)

The Laurel Street (Cabrillo) Bridge, Balboa Park

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Take an “inside” look at one of San Diego’s most recognizable landmarks. (1m 53s)

Latin Words - Museum of Man

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Around the exterior dome of the Museum, a Latin phrase can be seen. What does it mean? (1m 42s)

La Jolla name

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Find out if La Jolla is really San Diego's "Jewel by the Sea". (1m 35s)

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