The Amusement Zone of the 1893 Columbian Exposition featured on WTTW’s “Chicago Stories”

“The 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition proved that Chicagoans had a healthy appetite for amusement—and that fun could be monetized.” —WTTW’s Chicago Stories

An episode of WTTW’s Chicago Stories airing on October 4, 2024, takes viewers on a ride through the history of regional amusement parks such as The White City, Riverview, and Kiddieland. “Amusement Parks” opens with a visit to the 1893 World’s Fair and some dazzling digital animation of vintage photographs. “The 1893 Columbian Exposition was a BIG DEAL,” asserts Chicago cultural historian Tim Samuelson. Actors recreate the Opening Day ceremony with President Cleveland pushing the button (strikingly authentic!) to begin the Great Transformation Scene.

The action then moves to the Midway Plaisance entertainment zone, exploring attractions “from the obscene to the absurd” that include international villages, Hagenbeck’s Animal Arena, and the wonderous Ferris Wheel. The attractions of the Midway and other parts of the fairgrounds were “a way to see all these new things,” offers historian Diane Dillon, “and also to participate in this experience collectively—to be able to say ‘I was there.’”

The companion website offers additional content about “How Chicago’s Midway Plaisance Set the Stage for Modern Day Amusement Parks” Disappointingly, neither the episode nor website mention the two Midway attractions that had a lasting legacy in future amusement parks: the funhouse inside the Moorish Palace and the amazing Ice Railway, a type of roller coaster ride.

“Amusement Park” can be viewed online at https://interactive.wttw.com/chicago-stories/amusement-parks/video.