Avenue of Progress. Its main entrance, facing the west, is composed of
three splendid arches, set off by free-standing columns, which resemble
weather-stained shafts of Sienna marble and are the pedestals for the
sculptured figures representing the powers of "Invention,"
"Electricity," "Imagination" and "Steam." On the inner facade of the
arches are grills of amber glass, forming a strong background for the
decorative friezes and sculptured eagles, the latter being symbols which
predominate throughout the Exposition. Dwarf cedars serve to magnify, by
comparison, the gigantic dimensions of this entrance. Daniel Chester
French's commanding statue, "The Genius of Creation," occupies a
prominent place before the central arch.



Machinery Hall
The Colonnade in the Portal

The dimensions of the main entrance to Machinery Hall are in keeping
with the size of the building, which is the largest wooden framed
structure in the world. Architecturally the style is after the ancient
Roman, the motif being supplied by studies of the baths of Caracalla.
The decorative designs in the vestibule are sculptured figures and
accompanying insignia typifying the manufacture and use of machinery by
man. The relief figures of the spandrels are forcefully executed. About
the base of the pillars are friezes, symbolic of mechanical invention.
These relief designs are the work of Haig Patigian of San Francisco.

This great archway is one of the most interesting achievements, from an
architectural standpoint, to be found at the Exposition. The space
covered is large, yet so cleverly handled that no bareness is suggested.