The Trouble Begins: Centennial: The Great Fair of 1876 and the Invention of America’s Future with Fergus Bordewich at The Mark Twain House & Museum

A defining moment in American history takes center stage during The Trouble Begins: Centennial: The Great Fair of 1876 and the Invention of America’s Future with Fergus Bordewich on July 21, 2026, from 7 pm to 8 pm at The Mark Twain House & Museum. This engaging presentation explores the remarkable story of the 1876 Centennial Exhibition, America’s first world’s fair and one of the most influential events of the nineteenth century.

Drawing from his latest work, historian Fergus Bordewich will examine how the Great Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia celebrated the nation’s first hundred years while reflecting the challenges and opportunities shaping its future. The fair attracted nearly 10 million visitors, including notable figures such as Mark Twain, Frederick Douglass, P. T. Barnum, and Emperor Dom Pedro II of Brazil. Visitors encountered groundbreaking innovations including the telephone, typewriter, and Heinz Tomato Ketchup, all symbols of a rapidly changing America.

The discussion also explores the political, social, and economic tensions of the era, from Reconstruction and labor unrest to the fight for women’s rights and conflicts on the western frontier. Through the stories of Rutherford B. Hayes, Alexander Graham Bell, railroad executive Tom Scott, and sculptor Edmonia Lewis, Bordewich reveals how the Centennial Exhibition reflected a nation at a crossroads.

Fergus Bordewich is the author of numerous acclaimed works of American history, including Klan War, The First Congress, America’s Great Debate, and Bound for Canaan. He will be joined by moderator Jason Scappaticci, Associate Dean of Student Affairs at Capital Community College and an accomplished educator and lecturer.

The Mark Twain House & Museum is located at 351 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105. For tickets and additional information, visit https://marktwainhouse.org/event/the-trouble-begins-centennial-the-great-fair-of-1876-and-the-invention-of-americas-future-with-fergus-bordewich-in-person/.