EVENT INDUSTRY

Event managers respect a sizable crowd the way survivalists respect a rattlesnake treat it firmly, but don t scare it, and don t get complacent, or it might sink two inches of fang into your leg. In wrangling large-scale events we depend heavily on the help of technology can you imagine dealing with this kind of turnout without the help of mobile phones, walkie-talkies, computerized ticketing?

Staring at these pics, we re faced with bazillions of unanswered logistics questions about historical events. How did advanced ticketing work, and could you get another set of tickets if you d lost yours? Were newspapers and posters the only way to promote your event, and if so, how much did it cost to print and distribute them? And is there such a thing as a turn-of-the-century Porta-potty?

Spectators

This incredible panorama is far too wide to be shown clearly in this narrow space go here to see the full picture. Created in 1919 by Charles F. Allen, this picture shows thousands up thousands of attendees gathered to watch a boxing match.

Soldiers

We don t know very much about this striking image, except that it was estimated to be taken in 1942, near the start of WWII. The source of the picture is telling: it was provided to the Library of Congress by the U.S. Army s Office of War Information, Overseas Picture Division.

Citizens

The multitudes gather outside the White House for the 1921 U.S. presidential inauguration of Warren G. Harding.

More Citizens

Here s another presidential shot from a little further down the line: Herbert Hoover in 1932.

Patriots

In this 1918 picture, Douglas Fairbanks, a popular movie star at the time, speaks on the steps of the U.S. Treasury Building in New York city in support of Liberty Bonds.

Sports Fans

A whole lot of people took themselves out to the ballgame at the 1925 World Series, where the Pittsburgh Pirates beat out the Washington Senators.