Midway Plaisance

Midway Plaisance is a linear park located near Lake Michigan in Chicago, Illinois approximately 5 miles from the downtown "Loop" area.

World Columbian Exposition

The World Columbian Exposition of 1893 was held in the underdeveloped parts of the South Park. The worldwide celebration of Columbus's transfer of "the torch of civilization to the New World" in 1492 was one of the most successful and influential of world's fairs. It covered over 600 acres (2.4 km²) and attracted exhibits and people from all over the world.

Related Topics:
World Columbian Exposition - 1893 - Columbus's - 1492 - World's fair

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For the Exposition, the Midway Plaisance was turned over to Sol Bloom, a protégé of P. T. Barnum from San Francisco. It became a grand mix of fakes, hokum, and the genuinely educational. The "Street in Cairo" amusement was the most popular with 2.25 million admissions. George Ferris' first Ferris Wheel had 1.5 million riders. The Midway's money-making concessions and sideshows made over $4 million in 1893 dollars, and it was the more memorable portion for many attendees.

Related Topics:
Sol Bloom - P. T. Barnum - San Francisco - Ferris Wheel

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In the years after the Exposition closed, midway came to be used as a common noun to refer to the area for amusements at a county or state fair, circus, or amusement park.

Related Topics:
State fair - Circus - Amusement park

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