Centennial Hall at Fair Park

Originally constructed in 1905 as a space for exhibit displays during the annual Texas State Fair, this is the largest exhibition building at the Fair Park. In the 1930s, it was expanded and renovated in an Art Deco style, prior to being renamed 'Centennial Hall' for the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition. Designed by George Dahl, the Art Deco renovations included the addition of murals representing 'Texas Travel and Transportation,' the building's main theme during the Exposition. The murals, designed by Carlo Ciampaglia, appear in the porticos, in front of which are monumental sculptures that symbolize Texas. The 1936 Centennial Exposition was followed by the 1937 Greater Texas & Pan-Am Exposition the following year. Thereafter, Centennial Hall has continued to be used as an exhibit hall for the Texas State Fair.

As the largest exhibit space at the Texas State Fairgrounds, Centennial Hall extends across the full length of the Esplanade, the main thoroughfare of the fairgrounds. This building was constructed in 1905 to host displays of regional produce and products at the Texas State Fair. In an era before radio and television advertising, displaying goods at a state fair was one of the most effective ways of reaching the public through marketing. In turn, visitors came to the fair expecting to see the latest consumer products and household goods. As manufacturing and retail increased throughout Texas, people wanted to be impressed by the latest innovations, while still also seeking displays of the best agricultural products that they had counted on for decades.

During the 1930s, the building was renovated and updated with striking Art Deco elements, making it a centerpiece of the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition, celebrating 100 years of Texas' independence from Mexico. For the 1936 Exposition, the main part of the building became associated with the theme of 'Travel and Transportation.' The building's adjacent wings hosted related exhibits, including a display by the automobile manufacturer, Chrysler Motors Corp. Several murals were designed by Carlo Ciampaglia to reflect the theme of Travel and Transportation. Painted on the walls of the building's porticos, these murals were given the titles "Rail Transportation," "Navigation," "Aeroplane Transportation," "Automotive Transportation," "Old Methods of Transportation," and "Future Methods of Transportation." Larger-than-life statues designed by Pierre Bourdelle and Raoul Josset were installed in front of the porticos. Bourdelle also created bas-relief sculptures, depicting images of an eagle, a man, a railroad track, and a locomotive, which symbolized the development of rail transit.

In addition, on the building's eastern side, a monumental statue was installed. Designed by Lawrence Tenney Stevens, it depicts a Texas Centennial Rangerette atop an eleven-foot pedestal. The woman portrayed in the statue was supposed to represent the spirit of Texas circa 1836, after winning independence from Mexico and prior to annexation by the U.S. in 1845, at which time Texas joined the Union as the 28th state. Behind the statue, a fresco medallion depicts a Texas longhorn steer approaching a 5-pointed star. Around the edge of this fresco medallion are illustrations of Texas bluebonnets, oil wells, and cotton balls. Below the medallion is the following inscription: "Texas: an independent nation from March 2, 1836, to December 29,1845, who voluntarily surrendered her sovereignty" upon becoming the 28th state in the United States.

By 1999, the Centennial Hall was in need of a restoration and renovation. Many of the Art Deco elements that had been created for the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition were lost or removed over the years, and these were restored. The murals designed by Carlo Ciampaglia, which were a hallmark of the Centennial Exposition, had been completely covered over with paint in 1942. Thus, through the efforts of art conservationists and historic preservationists, between 1997 and 2000 these hand-painted murals were restored to their original appearance with their historic paint colors. In 1999, a new floor plan was designed for Centennial Hall. This updated layout prepared the building for continued use during galas, markets, trade shows, conventions, and exhibit displays at Texas State Fairs throughout the 21st century.

Butler, Steven. "Centennial Building," Historic Fair Park. Accessed May 2nd, 2023. http://www.watermelon-kid.com/places/FairPark/hh-tour/hh-centennial.htm.

Centennial Building, Fair Park Dallas. Accessed May 2nd, 2023. https://www.fairparkdallas.com/centennial-building.

Fair Park, Centennial Hall, Fair Park Dallas. Accessed May 2nd, 2023. https://www.fairparkdallas.com/assets/doc/FairPark-CentennialHall19-e2fe018b8c.pdf.