RECENT POSTS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION’S BUILDING, FAIRGROUNDS, EXHIBITS, EVENTS, AND PEOPLE.
Edward Kemeys and his Work on the Lions for the Art Institute
The pair of lions sculptures by Edward Kemeys that guard the entrance to the Art Institute of Chicago are among the most recognized icons of the city. Their confusing origin story, often incorrectly connected to the 1893 World’s Fair, is described in Part 1 and Part 2 of “Did the Art Institute of Chicago lions come from the 1893 World’s Fair?” A profile of Edward Kemeys, written when his lion sculptures were about to be cast in bronze and published in the Chicago Record on September 25, 1893, is reprinted below. When installed in 1894, the Art Institute [...]
Jackson Park Prints to Support Block Club Chicago
Block Club Chicago—a nonprofit news organization dedicated to delivering reliable, nonpartisan, and essential coverage of Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods—has two gorgeous poster prints depicting remnants of the 1893 World’s Fair. The 6-by-20-inch limited-edition prints by Steve Shanabruch print are premiums for donors who purchase, gift, or upgrade a Block Club subscription by December 31, 2024. The poster for Hyde Park shows a lovely vista of the Wooded Island and the original Palace of Fine Arts. The Woodlawn neighborhood poster features the 1918 replica of the Daniel Chester French’s Statue of the Republic. To get your print (and help support independent [...]
170. Picturesque World’s Fair – The Promenade and Beach
THE PROMENADE AND BEACH.—Without the famous Promenade along the shore of Lake Michigan, the Columbian Exposition would have lacked one of its attractive features. The great body of blue water, over which came cooling breezes in the hottest days of midsummer, rested the eye after the visitor had become sated, if that were possible, with the glories of the Fair, and the Promenade and Beach afforded a pleasant walking or lounging place, as the case might be. The shadows cast in the photograph from which the accompanying excellent illustration is taken show that the hour was about one o'clock [...]
Happy Holidays from WorldsFairChicago1893!
We wish our readers a happy holiday season and best wishes in 2025!
World’s Fair beer on “Jeopardy!”
The December 2, 2024, episode of Jeopardy! offered contestants this $200 clue in the Jeopardy! round under the category of “Cheers to Beers”: After being honored at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, this brand added "Blue Ribbon" to its name. Evan Jones gave the correct answer of Pabst. The Pabst Brewing Company was awarded a medal at the 1893 World Columbian Exposition. The blue ribbon was the company's own invention. A medal given to the Pabst Brewing Company at the 1893 World Columbian Exposition. Adolphus Busch of St. Louis and Frederick Pabst of Milwaukee competed to have [...]
Maps of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in the Library of Congress
Maps of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition fairgrounds offer a fascinating look at the evolving design of the Jackson Park campus and of the continuous changes during the run of the Fair. The Library of Congress holds many interesting specimens of World’s Fair cartography in the collection of the Geography and Map Division. Cynthia Smith’s blog post “Chicago in 1893: Selected Maps of the World’s Columbian Exposition” (December 4, 2024) highlights several maps and exhibit hall floorplans from the Chicago fairgrounds. The Remington Standard Typewriter was the official writing machine of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. The Wyckoff, [...]
2024 Columbian Exposition Gift Guide
Shopping for a gift to give a Columbian Exposition enthusiast? Or wanting to treat yourself to a little something during the holiday season? If so, check on these products relating to the 1893 World’s Fair. Note: We provide this announcement of new products without any compensation from vendors. Prices and availability subject to change. Add a Ferris Wheel to your tree with a World’s Fair Wooden Ornament from Transit Tees. The image of the Great Wheel on the Midway is laser cut onto a 3.25-inch-wide and 4-inch-tall birch wood veneer. ($10.50 $5.25) Transit Tees also offers a World's Columbian [...]
Season’s Readings: 2024 Books about the World’s Columbian Exposition
Relatively few new books were added to the Columbian Exposition bookshelf this past year, but the small selection does cover several interesting topics. Three new academic works explore the Woman’s Building, model Haida Village, and Haiti Building and Frederick Douglass. A new children’s novel time-travels back to 1893. Note: We provide this announcement of new titles without any compensation from authors or publishers. We encourage shopping through independent local book dealers and online platforms that support them, such as IndieBound and Bookshop. NONFICTION Global Voices from the Women’s Library at the World’s Columbian Exposition: Feminisms, Transnationalism and the Archive [...]
World’s Fair architects on “Jeopardy!”
The November 29, 2024, episode of Jeopardy! offered contestants this $400 clue in the Double Jeopardy! round under the category of “Do You Want to Build a Building?”: In 1873 Daniel Burnham & John Root started a firm to build together in this city; 2 decades later, Burnham built a fair there. Debbie Mercer, a retired special education teacher from (nearby) Oak Park, Illinois, gave the correct answer of Chicago. Daniel Burnham and John Root in their office in the Rookery c 1890.
Giving Thanks Before the 1893 World’s Fair Opens
On Thanksgiving 1892, Chicago was gearing up for the World’s Columbian Exposition, having just held the grand Dedication Day ceremonies on October 21 and the Inaugural Reception ball two days before that. Both events had showed that Chicago was ready to host the World’s Fair the following spring. What were these ten prominent Chicagoans thankful for? In this cartoon for the Chicago Inter Ocean Illustrated Supplement, artist Art Young attempts to take a guess their inner thoughts. George R. Davis, Director-General of the WCE: “Thankful to know where I am at.” Thomas W. Palmer, President of the National Commission: [...]