World Columbian Exposition

The World Columbian Exposition (also called The Chicago World's Fair), a World's fair, was held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's discovery of the New World. Chicago had beaten New York City, Washington, D.C. and St. Louis, Missouri for the honor of hosting the fair. The fair had a profound effect on architecture, the arts, Chicago's self image, and American industrial optimism.

Other notable attractions

The World Columbian Exposition was the first world's fair with an area for amusements which was strictly separated from the exhibition halls. This area, concentrated on Midway Plaisance, included carnival rides - among them the first Ferris Wheel, built by George Ferris. This wheel was 250 feet high and had 36 cars, each of which could accommodate 60 people. One of the cars carried a band which played whenever the wheel was in motion. Nearby, Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West show performed, perpetuating the images of the American frontier which had just officially been declared closed. At the same time, historian Frederick Jackson Turner gave academic lectures reflecting on the end of the same frontier. Another popular Midway attraction was the "Street in Cairo", which included the popular exotic dancer known as Little Egypt.

Related Topics:
Area for amusements - Ferris Wheel - Buffalo Bill Cody - Frederick Jackson Turner - Little Egypt

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The Electrotachyscope of Ottomar Anschütz, which used a Geissler Tube to project the illusion of moving images was demonstrated.

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Electrotachyscope - Ottomar Anschütz - Geissler Tube - Illusion - Moving images

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Louis Comfort Tiffany made his reputation with a stunning chapel he designed and built for the Exposition. This chapel has been carefully reconstructed in recent years, and can now be seen in excellent condition at the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art.

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Louis Comfort Tiffany - Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art

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Architect Kirtland Cutter's Idaho Building, a rustic design log construction, was a popular favorite http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=115, visited by an estimated 18 million people. http://www.burrows.com/founders/furniture.html The building's design and interior furnishings were a major precursor of the Arts and Crafts movement.

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Kirtland Cutter - Idaho Building - Arts and Crafts movement

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The John Bull, the steam locomotive that would become the oldest surviving operable steam locomotive in the world when it ran under its own power again in 1981, was also displayed. At the time of the exposition, the locomotive was only 62 years old, having been built in 1831. However, it had already by this time become notable as the first locomotive acquisition by the Smithsonian Institution. The locomotive ran under its own power from Washington, DC, to Chicago to participate, and returned to Washington under its own power again when the exposition closed.

Related Topics:
John Bull - Steam locomotive - 1981 - 1831 - Smithsonian Institution - Washington, DC

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Forty-six nations participated in the fair, including Haiti, which selected Frederick Douglass to be its coordinator. The Exposition drew nearly 26 million visitors, and left a remembered vision that can be recognized even in the Emerald City of L. Frank Baum's Oz and in Walt Disney's majestic theme parks Disneyland and Disney World (his father Elias had been a construction worker on some of the buildings).

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Haiti - Emerald City - L. Frank Baum - Oz - Walt Disney - Disneyland - Disney World

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Three days before the fair was scheduled to close, Chicago mayor Carter Harrison, Sr. was assassinated by a disgruntled office seeker, Partick Prendergast. A massive closing ceremony was planned, but was canceled due to the assination. The closing ceremony was expected to break the record the fair had already set on Independence Day for the most single-day attendance of a major event.

Related Topics:
Carter Harrison, Sr. - Independence Day

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