This blown glass slipper was purchased by Charles Miller Firebaugh and his wife Frances Australia Reiley Firebaugh at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. Their daughter donated it to the Botetourt History Museum in 1990. Close to 10 million visitors went to the fair via railroad, steamboat, carriage and on foot. The celebration of America’s 100th anniversary of independence with the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia took 10 years to plan. It was held on more than 400 acres of land in Fairmont Park from May 10-November 10, 1876. There were 200 buildings featured and it was the first official World’s Fair to be held in the United States. The Women’s Pavilion showcased the industrial and artistic achievements of American women for an international audience. There is a stamp inside the shoe that reads “GILLANDER Centennial exp.”
