When the Brownies Visited the Columbian Exposition Fairgrounds

In the summer of 1892, the job of readying the fairgrounds of the World’s Columbian Exposition for its official dedication in October and then finishing work in time for the May 1, 1893, opening must have seemed an impossible task. Luckily, the magical Brownies were there to “lend a helping hand.” The Brownies are a band of adventurous and mischievous little characters created by writer and illustrator Palmer Cox (1840–1924) and based on Scottish folklore figures. Cox wrote that [...]

By |2018-09-01T07:50:50-05:00September 1st, 2018|Categories: REPRINTS|Tags: , |0 Comments
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The Yerkes Telescope, Great Revealer of the Solar System

Among the many enormous and record-breaking displays at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, none were astronomical as the Yerkes Telescope. The historic telescope has been on view to the public, and in service to scientists, for the past 120 years while housed in the Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, a beautiful building designed by World’s Fair architect Henry Ives Cobb. The observatory and treasured telescope face an uncertain future as the University of Chicago ceases operations of the [...]

By |2022-03-05T10:31:14-06:00August 19th, 2018|Categories: REPRINTS|Tags: , , , , , |1 Comment
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Company Vacation to the 1893 World’s Fair

The Wellington Machine Company of Wellington, Ohio, was a foundry for the manufacturing of brick-making machines. An image of the works can be seen in an 1890 engraving here. The article below from the August 16, 1893, issue of Clay Record (an industry semi-monthly) reports on the company’s generous gift to its employees: an all-expense-paid vacation to the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. NICE TRIP TO THE WORLD’S FAIR. Last week the Wellington Machine company, Wellington, O., gave its [...]

By |2023-10-20T21:25:06-05:00August 16th, 2018|Categories: REPRINTS|Tags: |0 Comments
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PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR – The Grand Basin from the Administration Gallery (p. 62)

PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR. AN ELABORATE COLLECTION OF COLORED VIEWS Page 62 – THE GRAND BASIN FROM THE ADMINISTRATION GALLERY THE GRAND BASIN FROM THE ADMINISTRATION GALLERY.—Very striking was the effect produced by the body of water known as the Grand Basin, forming a symmetrical marble-framed lake in the center of the Court of Honor. Here, during the day, were reflected the hosts of white fronts uprearing on every side; here, at night, were flashed back the blaze of light [...]

By |2018-08-07T20:33:18-05:00August 9th, 2018|Categories: REPRINTS|Tags: , , , , , , , |0 Comments
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PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR – The Convent of La Rabida (p. 61)

PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR. AN ELABORATE COLLECTION OF COLORED VIEWS Page 61 – THE CONVENT OF LA RABIDA THE CONVENT OF LA RABIDA.—In marked contrast with the great modern structures near it was the reproduction at the Exposition of the Convent of La Rabida, or, to express its title more correctly, the Convent of Santa Maria de la Rabida, which means The Convent of St. Mary of the Frontier. It was to this convent that Columbus went when most wearied [...]

By |2018-08-05T19:30:45-05:00August 5th, 2018|Categories: REPRINTS|Tags: , , , , , |0 Comments
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PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR – Statue of California (p. 60)

PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR. AN ELABORATE COLLECTION OF COLORED VIEWS Page 60 – STATUE OF CALIFORNIA STATUE OF CALIFORNIA.—Typical of the great state upon the Pacific Coast was the Statue of California, a striking figure in the huge structure erected in imitation of one of the old Spanish missions. The artist had caught the spirit of the commonwealth, and joyous luxuriance was as apparent in the statue as indicated by the exhibits all about. The figure stood upon the apex [...]

By |2018-07-22T06:34:41-05:00July 31st, 2018|Categories: REPRINTS|Tags: , , , , , |0 Comments
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PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR – Haiti and New South Wales Buildings (p. 58)

PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR. AN ELABORATE COLLECTION OF COLORED VIEWS Page 58 – HAITI AND NEW SOUTH WALES BUILDINGS HAITI AND NEW SOUTH WALES BUILDINGS.—On the thoroughfare running west from the British Government Building on the lake shore, were the buildings of Haiti and New South Wales, located so together but by chance in the distribution of space. It was to be expected that the island republic, the region of Columbus' first landing place in America, would take an interested [...]

By |2019-03-16T11:24:42-05:00July 25th, 2018|Categories: REPRINTS|Tags: , , |0 Comments
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Men Who Will Guard the Fair: Col. Edmund Rice and his Columbian Guard

Colonel Edmund Rice served as commander of the Columbian Guard, the security and safety force that performed policing and fire-patrol duty inside the grounds of the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. Erik Larson notes in The Devil in the White City (p. 138) that “unlike conventional police departments, the Guard’s mandate explicitly emphasized the novel idea of preventing crime rather than merely arresting wrongdoers after the fact.” Just prior to taking command of the Columbian Guard in May of [...]

By |2018-07-07T09:02:38-05:00July 20th, 2018|Categories: REPRINTS|Tags: , |0 Comments
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PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR – Statue of Columbus Taking Possession (p. 57)

PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR. AN ELABORATE COLLECTION OF COLORED VIEWS Page 57 – STATUE OF COLUMBUS TAKING POSSESSION Only in a lesser degree than that accorded the Statue of the Republic was attention secured by its commanding situation to the statue representing Columbus taking possession of America. It stood in front of the eastern portal of the Administration Building, where were always throngs assembled whether the attendance of the Fair was light or heavy. In this part of the plaza [...]

By |2022-09-02T08:20:31-05:00July 8th, 2018|Categories: REPRINTS|Tags: , , , , , , |0 Comments
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A Night at the Exposition on the Fourth of July, 1893

“Combine all the adjectives in the English language that express beauty, loveliness, grace and perfection, even then you will fail to describe a gala night at the Exposition.” -- World’s Columbian Exposition Illustrated January 1894. July 4, 1893, was a special day at the World’s Columbian Exposition, designated as "United States Day." Attendance swelled to enormous 283,273 paid visitors, making this the largest attendance of any day so far—even greater than on Opening Day—and perhaps the largest festival attendance [...]

By |2023-12-08T09:12:00-06:00July 4th, 2018|Categories: REPRINTS|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |0 Comments
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