RECENT POSTS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION’S BUILDING, FAIRGROUNDS, EXHIBITS, EVENTS, AND PEOPLE.
PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR – The Brazil Building (p. 83)
PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR. AN ELABORATE COLLECTION OF COLORED VIEWS Page 83 – THE BRAZIL BUILDING THE BRAZIL BUILDING.—The structure erected by the greatest of the South American Republics was what might have been expected from that great country. Brazil appropriated for the Columbian Exposition no less than $600,000, and of this sum $50,000 was expended on the building where all visitors were entertained and where were the official head-quarters of the commission. The edifice was in the form of a Greek cross, and it was originally intended by the architect to build the entire superstructure of steel, but threatened [...]
Tales from the Swedish Café
Swedes from Chicago and around the world celebrated Sweden Day at the World’s Columbian Exposition on July 20, 1893. Many of the festive events took place at the beautiful Swedish Building. Nearby stood the Swedish Restaurant, which served as another site for Swedes to gather on the fairgrounds and as a concession to showcase Scandinavian fare to visitors from around the world. The Swedish Restaurant (also called the Swedish Café) was run by Robert Lindblom (1844-1907), a prominent Swedish-born trader on the Chicago Board of Trade. Appointed by Chicago Mayor Dewitt Cregier to the city's initial World’s Fair executive committee, [...]
Chicago’s Alligator Problems
“One day spent among the curious works of nature found in the Fish and Fisheries building was worth a whole year’s reading about them.” -- “Exposition as an Educator” in Campbell's Illustrated History of the World's Columbian Exposition. A new resident to a Chicago city park has been (occasionally) making waves and making international news. An alligator spotted earlier this week swimming the lagoon of Humboldt Park is now drawing large crowds hoping to catch a glimpse of the tropical creature. The problem is … an alligator has no business being in a Chicago pond. “Chance the Snapper” A [...]
Maillard’s Mammoth Chocolate Statues
July 7 is World Chocolate Day (by some accounts), so let’s celebrate ... 1893 style! Chocolate and cocoa could be found in many locations on the fairgrounds of the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. Blooker’s Dutch Cocoa Windmill and House was one lovely display where visitors could sample some hot cocoa, but a set of mammoth chocolate statues exhibited by Maillard’s chocolates in the Agricultural Building must have been one of the most amazing sights. Maillard's Chocolate advertising postcard. [Image from the Boston Public Library] Maillard Chocolates French confectioner Henri Maillard (1816-1900) opened a store in New [...]
PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR – The Michigan Building (p. 81)
PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR. AN ELABORATE COLLECTION OF COLORED VIEWS Page 81 – THE MICHIGAN BUILDING THE MICHIGAN BUILDING.—Of all the State buildings on the Fair grounds none was more popular than the Michigan Building. Standing near the Fifty-seventh street entrance, its handsome front catching the eye of visitors, its doors always hospitably open, not to Michigan people alone but to the multitude, and its spacious rooms and luxurious appointments inviting all to their enjoyment, it was generally the resting place of an appreciative throng. The structure was one hundred by one hundred and forty-four feet in ground dimensions, was [...]
“Moving With Perfect Freedom” on the Fourth of July, 1893
The Fourth of July was one of the great “Special Days” of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The passage below comes from “The World's College of Democracy” by John Brisben Walker, published in the September 1893 issue of The Cosmopolitan, of which he was the owner and editor. Of all the wonders of the Fair around him, Walker boasts most about the conduct of the visitors on Independence Day. It was my good fortune to be present on the Fourth of July, when the number of people on the grounds exceeded three hundred and five thousand. It [...]
1893 World’s Fair Coming to the Big Screen in THE CURRENT WAR
The lights are back on for a film partially set on the fairgrounds of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. Scheduled to open in October 2019 is The Current War, a historical drama about the legendary “war of the currents” between titans of the electrical industry who are setting their sights on powering the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. The Current War tells the story of the vicious rivalry between inventors Thomas Edison (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Nikola Tesla (Nicholas Hoult), who is back by businessman George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon). After premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, [...]
2019 History Fairs Showcase Student Research on the 1893 World’s Fair
Several Chicago area students have been researching the 1893 World’s Fair and presented their project at spring history fairs. The Chicago Metro History Fair engages students in grades 6 through 12 in a research project relating to local history. A set of History Fair events during the Spring of 2019 culminated in the Finals competitions at Chicago History Museum on April 10, 2019. Some of these projects were advanced to Illinois History Day, held on Thursday, May 2, 2019, in Springfield, Illinois. Student present their research in one of five project categories: exhibits, papers, documentary videos, performances, or websites. For [...]
Which 1893 World’s Fair building is Among “The 12 Most Controversial Buildings in America”?
A new article at the home advice website BobVila.com describing “The 12 Most Controversial Buildings in America” includes one from the 1893 World’s Fair. The article by Jamie Birdwell Branson lists the Woman’s Building, designed by architect Sophia Hayden. Branson notes that the controversy occurred because the building design “underwent contentious changes during construction, and many architectural journals gave it negative reviews upon completion” and also observes that the criticism may be been “reactions to the fact that the architect was a woman.” Joining the Woman’s Building on the controversy list are the White House, the Empire State Building and [...]
Watch a Vintage Ferris Wheel Poster Be Restored
Happy Ferris Wheel Day! On June 21, 1893, the Ferris Wheel on the Midway Plaisance at the 1893 World’s Fair took its first visitors for a ride in the sky. While the original wheel is long gone, its iconic image graces collectibles too numerous to count. A glass paperweight showing the Ferris Wheel from World’s Fair Auction. Collectors of antiques ponder and debate an important question: Should items be restored or preserved as is? Unrestored antiques may command higher prices than do pieces that have been repaired, but some collectors see value restoring a treasured piece to [...]