RECENT POSTS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION’S BUILDING, FAIRGROUNDS, EXHIBITS, EVENTS, AND PEOPLE.
Native Americans, the 1893 World’s Fair, and Chicago As We Know It
The Red Man’s Greeting, 1494-1892 (C. H. Engle, 1893) from the collection of the Newberry Library. “Without native Americans, would we have Chicago as we know it?” asks Jesse Dukes in an interactive “Curious City” feature for WBEZ-Chicago. One part of this fascinating look at the histories of Native Americans and the settlers of Chicago is the story of Simon Pokagon, a prominent member of the Pokagon Band of the Potawatomi who spoke at the 1893 World’s Fair. Pokagon, explains historian and Potawatomi Indian John Low, criticized organizers of the World’s Columbian Exposition “for not including Indians, [...]
PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR – The Alaskan Indian Village (p. 71)
PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR. AN ELABORATE COLLECTION OF COLORED VIEWS Page 71 – THE ALASKAN INDIAN VILLAGE THE ALASKAN INDIAN VILLAGE.—Our vast territory of Alaska was not represented at the Fair to the extent its fast-developing resources might have justified. There were no territorial commissioners from that northwestern region, and such regular exhibits as were made appeared in the Government Building under the auspices of the Interior Department. Its fur display, loaned by a private Alaskan firm, was the richest ever made in this country, including the skins of the sea otter, silver fox, seal, mink and others of special [...]
Sept. 25, 2018: Columbian Exposition Symposium and Exhibit at BYU-Idaho
The McKay Library Special Collections of Brigham Young University-Idaho has mounted an exhibition “See the Fair; Exploring the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition 125 Years Later” during the Fall 2018 semester. With many items coming from the personal collection of Andrea Radke-Moss, a professor in the History Department, the exhibit showcases books, photos, stereoview cards, pamphlets, and other World’s Fair memorabilia, along with a display of period clothing. The exhibit runs from September 25 through December 14, 2018. BYU-Idaho is located in Rexburg, Idaho. On October 25-26, 2018, the university held a symposium on the 1893 World’s Fair. Faculty presentations [...]
Dec. 9, 2018: Hyde Park Historical Society book discussion (Chicago)
On Sunday, December 9, the Hyde Park Historical Society will host Chicago Historian Andrew Taylor Call, who will discuss his new book Chicago: A Civic, Industrial, and Familial History. Among the many topic covered in his book are the construction technologies used to build the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair and the social and civic development of Jackson Park. The event runs from 11 am to 2 pm at 5529 Lake Park Blvd. Light Refreshments will be served; copies of the new book will be for sale and the author will be available to sign copies.
PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR – Looking Northeast from the Government Building (p. 70)
PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR. AN ELABORATE COLLECTION OF COLORED VIEWS Page 70 – LOOKING NORTHEAST FROM THE GOVERNMENT BUILDING LOOKING NORTHEAST FROM THE GOVERNMENT BUILDING.—From the roof of the Government Building, looking northeast, a view was afforded of a portion of the North Inlet, the elevated railway a group of prominent structures and of Lake Michigan beyond. Conspicuous in the foreground on the right is a portion of the Life Saving Station, the inlet upon which it was located connecting with the lake a little further to the east. On the left, the north loop of the electric road is [...]
Dec. 8: 125th Anniversary Celebration at the Art Institute of Chicago
December 8 is a full day for Columbian Exposition enthusiasts in Chicago! If you don’t already plan to attend the World’s Fair symposium at the Newberry Library or the talk on the White City at the Bezazian Library, you can check out the 125th anniversary celebration at the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC). To celebrate their anniversary, the AIC invites everyone to join in a recreation of this 1893 opening day photo from their archives. Just meet at the Michigan Avenue front steps of the museum, between the Edward Kemeys' iconic lions, “On the prowl” and “Stands in an [...]
Columbian Coin Collectors
Ginger Rapsus's article "Key year for coin collectors is 1893" in Numismatic News (posted November 17, 2018) states that among the many souvenirs produced for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, "perhaps the best known of the souvenirs are two of the first classic commemorative coins." About the Columbian half dollar, Rapsus writes that "a good number of these coins did not sell and eventually were melted or entered circulation, sometimes turning up in change or in a bank roll. I know of two collectors who found these half dollars searching bank rolls." The other commemorative coin was the Isabella quarter, which Rapsus notes was [...]
Dec. 8, 2018: The White City and the Building of the Fair at Bezazian Library (Chicago)
Chicago historian and tour guide Al Walavich will present a talk on “The World's Columbian Exposition: The White City and the Building of the Fair” at the Bezazian Library (1226 W Ainslie St. in Chicago) at 10 AM on December 8, 2018. Walavich will explore how the White City came to be during this social and political history talk in recognition of the 125th anniversary of the World's Columbian exposition.
Happy Turkey Day to our readers!
We wish you and yours a joyous Thanksgiving! We give thanks for the wonderful friends and Columbian Exposition enthusiasts whom we have met through worldsfairchicago1893.com this past year and look forward to continued exploration of the fairgrounds with you in the coming months. Speaking of turkey ... our monthly newsletter puzzle for November asked readers: Which of the Great Buildings in the White City featured a ring of ornamental turkey sculptures on its roof? The answer can be found here. Where could you find this turkey (and friends) at the 1893 World's Fair?
November 2018 Trivia Question
Our monthly newsletter includes a “Palmer Puzzler” exclusive to those who subscribe. (You can sign up here.) The first person to send us the correct answer wins a small prize. The November 2018 Trivia Question Which of the Great Buildings in the White City featured a ring of ornamental turkey sculptures on its roof? A. the Transportation Building B. the Agricultural Building C. the U.S. Government Building D. the Palace of Poultry The answer is B. A ring of turkeys decorated the dome of the Agricultural Building, designed by the firm of McKim, Mead & White. Many Americans thought that [...]