The 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition celebrated the twenty-second anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 with “Chicago Day” on October 9, 1893. With around three-quarter-of-a-million people filling the fairgrounds, it was thought to be the largest peaceful gathering in human history. Among the visitors was one special guest who had survived the Fire due to the dedication her “mother,” ten-year-old Fannie Belle Becker.

The article below, from the October 10, 1893, issue of the Chicago Tribune, describes the story behind a doll’s visit to 1893 World’s Fair. The Great Chicago Fire & The Web of Memory offers more about Miss Becker’s experience on October 9, 1871. Other dolls and doll fragments that survived the 1871 Fire, including those of Elizabeth Richardson and Harriet Peabody Butler, are in the collection of the Chicago History Museum. Does “Jennie” also survive in a collection somewhere?

Harriet Jessie Peabody’s doll, “Bessie,” also saved in the Great Fire of 1871 is in the collection of the Chicago History Museum [ICHi-064649].

MRS. DEMENT’S HISTORIC DOLL

Relic of the Big Fire That Was Present at the Grand Celebration

Upon the desk of Isaac S. Dement, manager of public typewriting in Administration Building at the World’s Fair, there sat in state yesterday a little personage of some historic value. Mrs. Dement, whose maiden name was Belle F. Becker, was with her mother at No. 163 South Clark street on the morning of Oct. 9, 1871. As that dreadful avalanche of fire leaped across the river and swept block after block, her mother saw that it was folly to longer remain in her threatened position.

As the old Court House bell dropped from its rusty hangings with a heart-broken groan and dashed amid the ruins of that once grand edifice, the mother and daughter started forth in search of safety. The little girl’s affection for her 4-year-old dolly made that the object of her first solicitude. She wound about it her own shawl and trudged beside her mother. During that long and terrible day her “dolly” received her full attention, and, though burning sand reddened her eyes and, with the aid of parching thirst and gnawing hunger, caused the tears to flow, “Jennie” was never neglected for a moment. At last they found a safe harbor and the little ones were put to sleep. “Jennie” nestled close in the fond embrace of her little “mother.”

Yesterday, Mrs. Dement’s two daughters Geraldine and Ionia, took “Jennie” out to the World’s Fair to celebrate her escape from the greatest holocaust the world has known. She has been tenderly cared for and is yet as blushing and rosy and her hair as dark and curly as on the day of the Fire. She is still dressed in the costume she wore on that occasion and presents quite a stately appearance when placed amid her sisters of the present day. Could she but tell what she endured on that occasion it would add one more not un-interesting story to those who keep fresh in our memory the day which made Chicago glorious.