William I. Buchanan
1850-1909




William Insco Buchanan was Director General of the Pan American Exposition, credited with the Pan-Am's construction, operation, and dismantling..

When Buffalo leaders, led by John G. Milburn, planned an exposition with a Latin American theme, they needed someone who knew the South American countrieswell, as well as the temperament of its citizens. That someone was Buchanan, known as the "Diplomat of the Americas." He served as PresidentsMcKinley and Teddy Roosevelt's chief troubleshooter during fifteen years in over ten cases of diplomatic disputes among the South American countries,especially Argentina and Chile.

His further qualifications for overseeing the Pan Am Expo of 1901 included organizing a theater, an opera house, and the Sioux City, Iowa, corn palace expositions of 1882. This led to his appointmentas overseer of the World's Colombian exposition of 1893.

For six years he resumed his diplomatic career, but just as the establishment of Panama was his chief diplomatic victory, so was his direction of the BuffaloPan American Exposition his greatest directorial success.

Born in rural Ohio, Buchanan followed lucrative business opportunities, settling finally in the turn-of-the-century prosperous Buffalo, which heconsidered home. He married the former Lulu Williams.

He lived his last years on Gates Circle, only a block from his burial site in Forest Lawn. Mr. Buchanan died suddenly while on business in London on October 16, 1909. He is buried with his son, Donald I. Buchanan. his grave site is inSection H, Lot 29.

-- Source: "Buchanan, Director of Pan American Exposition, is Forest lawn Tenant," by Marius Risley. Pub. in theWinter 2000 edition of Forest Lawn Cemetery newsletter, "The Gate."




William I. Buchanan and F[rancisco] Gonzales Guinan - Venezuelan politician
Research by Andrew Herrala




See also: Pan American Exposition

Page by Chuck LaChiusa
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