HemisFair '68
hemisfair official world fair international exposition held san antonio texas april october local businessman civic leader jerome k harris sr coined name hemisfair conceived idea fair hoping would unite culture comprise san antonio solidify city reputation cultural historic destination help commissioner henry b gonzales san antonio leader fair materialized helped transform city cowtown one largest city country theme fair confluence civilization america celebrating many nation settled region fair held coincide th anniversary founding san antonio thirty nation fifteen corporation hosted pavilion fair bureau international de exposition bie oversees world fair exposition awarded hemisfair official fair status november theme character fair dragon named luther created sid marty krofft later renamed starred kroffts saturday morning television show hr pufnstuf main premise show taken production cocacola pavilion fair venture announced cost million financed combination public private fund public funding included million u housing home finance agency acquiring clearing site million publicly approved city bond construction convention center arena million general revenue city san antonio construction tower america million state texas primarily construction texas state pavilion million united state congress construction united state pavilion although hemisfair attracted million visitor brought international attention san antonio texas attendance never matched prediction fair lost million fair built acre site southeastern edge downtown san antonio site acquired mainly eminent domain many structure considered blighted area demolished moved make room fair project partially developed federal urban renewal fund san antonio conservation society recommended structure site preserved however august agreement made save existing structure would incorporated fair site overall structure saved addition part overall hemisfair project city extended river walk paseo del rio onequarter mile site order link river walk hemisfair ground river walk extended new convention center expansion connected small lagoon inside hemisfair park hemisfair began april gate opening official ceremony beginning new convention center arena however opening two day assassination martin luther king jr vip attendance – including u first lady lady bird johnson texas governor john connally received death threat – escorted around site heavy security national pavilion fair included canada mexico italy spain france japan belgium bolivia republic china colombia west germany south korea panama portugal switzerland thailand venezuela also shared pavilion fivenation central american pavilion representing nicaragua honduras guatemala el salvador costa rica special pavilion organization american state represented eleven latin american country including brazil argentina peru corporate pavilion fair included eastman kodak ford general electric general motor humble oil exxonmobil ibm rca southwestern bell att frito lay pepsicola cocacola american express chrysler pavilion fair included lds church southern baptist pavilion womens pavilion project youth pavilion foot monorail named minimonorail connected pavilion together monorail manufactured universal design limited constructed hcp enterprise ten day prior opening fair april electrical incident caused fire later accident occurred september two train collided derailed year old woman died others injured hemisfair much land ownership transferred state texas u federal government today city san antonio owns approximately acre site henry b gonzález convention center occupies many unused remaining structure built fair removed celebration th anniversary hemisfair approximately acre site redeveloped cascading waterfall fountain playground lush landscaping many improvement concentrated near base tower america site rededication april site rechristened hemisfair park hyatt hotel completed construction grand hyatt san antonio north eastern side convention center theater originally built hemisfair feature guest room first floor condo last room south side unobstructed view hemisfair park tower america spring handful structure builtrenovated hemisfair remain former fairground still open public convention center theater – theater lila cockrell theater built one threebuilding complex along convention center arena buildup hemisfair leased san antonio fair inc use fair sometime fair renamed honor city former threeterm mayor lila cockrell decade limited upgrade building received million dollar renovation window exterior mural titled confluence civilization america created mexican artist juan ogorman hemisfair eastman kodak pavilion – built next womens pavilion venue seen little use since fair projected building demolished provide room eventual expansion womens pavilion gulf insurance pavilion – built near tower america rest area today closed public serf storage support tower humble oil pavilion – originally built th century building renovated hemisfair housed exhibit theater humble oil exxonmobil recent year building renovated serf additional banquet ballroom facility hilton palacio del rio hotel also built hemisfair across street mexico pavilion – mexican cultural institute national pavilion still original location although original structure modified expanded expansion adjacent convention center reopened southern baptist pavilion – building originally house built late th century wedding gift sam edgar daughter renovated hemisfair house exhibit southern baptist convention house renovated serf office hemisfair park area redevelopment corporation state texas pavilion – fair largest pavilion belonged state texas pavilion also remained fair closed became institute texan culture museum third campus university texas san antonio tower america – fair theme structure foottall tower remains today san antonios tallest structure top tower house revolving restaurant lounge outdoor observation deck designed architect oneil ford united state america pavilion – united state confluence theater john h wood jr united state district court western district texas remains today well confluence exhibit hall adrian spear judicial training center part pavilion fountain called migration although bird sculpture replaced bush outline fountain still place womens pavilion – theme venue showcase contribution woman made society past present future built permanent structure help meet requirement urban renewal well part reuse plan fair one idea reused student union building one proposal locate new university texas san antonio campus site decade use storage facility institute texan culture several woman originally involved pavilion working restore reopen san antonio city council leadership mayor julián castro created nonprofit organization hemisfair park area redevelopment corporation hparc generate idea oversee redevelopment former fairground seen little development since hparc completed renovation three indigenous structure site serve office eagar house conference center carriage house support service eagar dependency hparc along renovation san antonio city council voted approved hparcs master plan redevelopment former site plan includes development three public park yanaguana garden civic park tower park san antonio city council unanimously approved renaming area hemisfair park hemisfair recognizing urban park district october yanaguana garden opened public hemisfair arena list world exposition list world fair official website bie hemisfair website — online info world fair hemisfair park area redevelopment corporation hemisfair handbook texas online san antonio fair inc record wayback machine archived december finding aid university texas san antonio archive guide hemisfair history resource university texas san antonio library utsa library special collection archival footage documenting hemisfair texas archive moving image