The following story about Opening Day of the Columbian Exposition on May 1, 1893, comes from “Sketches and Anecdotes of the Fair” in the June 1893 issue of Current Literature [public domain]. A contrasting story published in the Chicago Daily Tribune reported that the first person on the fairgrounds on Opening Day was a man from Oskaloosa, Iowa.

Whether or not the story below is true … it should be.

Probably the most humorous incident of the opening day was connected with the first man who paid admission into the Exposition on the opening day. He was braced against the window of the first ticket office when it was opened for business, and eagerly inquired whether anyone had yet paid for entrance into the grounds. He was told that no one had. He then replied, “My name is Columbus, first name Paul. I live in La Porte, Ind., and it’s a cold day when anyone gets ahead of the Columbus family. I have been waiting in the mud eight hours. Thought Columbus ought to be the first man to pay his way in to-day. Give me a ticket.”

“The Sunday Crowd Besieging the Gates” (six days after Opening Day) [Image from Harper’s Weekly, May 20, 1893.]