RECENT POSTS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION’S BUILDING, FAIRGROUNDS, EXHIBITS, EVENTS, AND PEOPLE.
PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR. AN ELABORATE COLLECTION OF COLORED VIEWS (pp. 3-4)
PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR. AN ELABORATE COLLECTION OF COLORED VIEWS Page 3 THE COURT OF HONOR BY MOONLIGHT.—Of all the magnificent spectacles the Columbian Exposition afforded the view of the Court of Honor by moonlight seems, by common consent, to be accorded the first place. The effect of wonderful lights upon the glorious white buildings and on the waters, the electric flashes through the air, the sky scene made more beautiful, if possible, by the addition of the beauties below, the passage of gondolas and launches with their merry parties slipping through light and shade, the gleaming and shifting splendor [...]
PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR. AN ELABORATE COLLECTION OF COLORED VIEWS (pp. 1-2)
My reading copy of PICTURESQUE WORLD'S FAIR. AN ELABORATE COLLECTION OF COLORED VIEWS has a broken binding and many ripped and tattered pages. In order to preserve the images and text for further enjoyment, I have decided to scan and post the images with captions. I'll do my best to remove any folds, foxing, rips and tears, fading and damage that has occurred in the past 124 years and upload them over the next few months. Please comment or email us if you enjoy the images or would like a larger version! - Randy Front Cover PICTURESQUE WORLD'S FAIR. AN ELABORATE [...]
Remembering George R. Davis, Director-General of the Fair
On November 25, 1899, George R. Davis died in Chicago. He served as the Director-General of the 1893 World’s Fair. This short biographic sketch of Davis appears in "My Country, Tis of Thee !" or, the United States of America; Past, Present and Future by Willis Fletcher Johnson and John Habberton, (John Y. Huber Company, 1892): A portrait of George R. Davis from Picturesque World's Fair (W. B. Conkey, 1894) The Director-General of the Exhibition, its chief executive officer, upon whom the real responsibility for the conduct of the World's Fair rests, is Col. George R. Davis, [...]
Wishing our readers a plentiful Thanksgiving!
THE STATUE OF "PLENTY" from Picturesque World's Fair (W. B. Conkey, 1894). The pieces of statuary which stood beside the portals of the great buildings or bridge approaches, or on pedestals overlooking the Grand Basin and canals and lagoons, had all definite names fitted to the idea of their conception. What Kemeys and Proctor did with wild animals Potter and French did with domestic ones, introducing them in statuary with fine effect. The Statue of "Plenty" was well conceived in the female figure leaning carelessly and trustingly against the massive side of the bull, one arm resting on the abundant [...]
Nov. 30, 2017: “Fair Game” theater show at Northwestern University
An interactive theater show opening soon at Northwestern University will allow audience members to walk through the magic (and menace) of the 1893 World’s Fair. “Fair Game: A Chicago Spectacle” by Sit and Spin Productions explores Chicago in the years 1891 to 1893, as the city builds and then hosts the Columbian Exposition. Written and directed by Eli Newell, the choose-your-own-adventure “FAIR GAME” is described this way: As the 1890s commence and the new century beckons, Chicago is a city reborn into grand opulence, danger, and, above all, spectacle. Throughout the town, people of all ages and from all [...]
See the Midway, German Building, and Palace of Fine Arts on Film
The Chicago Tribune has posted a video mash-up of Chicago aerial scenes, pairing vintage film footage—shot in 1914 from a dirigible flying over the city—with modern video of the same locations. The German Building (looking south) Of particular interest to fans of the 1893 World’s Fair are scenes of the Midway Plaisance (shown at 3:45 minutes in the video) followed by a fly-over of the 58th Street Beach (at 4:15), where during the fair were the Great Britain Government Building ("Victoria House"), North Pier, and the (replica) U.S.S. Battleship Illinois. The dirigible then flies right past the [...]
Model Stock Car from Woman’s Building at Dec. 6 Auction
A beautiful item that was displayed at the 1893 World’s Fair will be coming up for auction on December 6, 2017. Geneva Armstrong's model cattle car (Jackson's Auction) Exhibits in the Woman’s Building showcased the achievements of many women inventors. Among them was Geneva Armstrong, who displayed a model of the railroad stock car she designed and patented, which had an adjustable trough for feeding and watering cattle. Armstrong’s original model is offered as Lot 1155 by Jackson's Auction in Cedar Falls, IA, in their “World Treasures: Featuring Important Native American, Asian, European & American Works.” The [...]
Get Your (So-Called) Orange Cider
You’ve just taken the thrill ride of your life—ascending 264 feet into the air on a giant rotating wheel of iron, viewing the expansive fairgrounds of the Columbian Exposition from a perspective intended only for birds, and gently returning to terra firma in a car filled with scores of other passengers. You need a drink. Visitors to the 1893 World’s Fair walking along the Midway may have spotted a little beverage stand tucked underneath the east side of the Ferris Wheel. From this small structure, P. G. Mattox offered “Florida Orange Cider” for 5 cents a glass. A [...]
Weinstein, War, and the White City
The 1893 World’s Fair has made small guest appearances on the big screen and small screen, but has yet to be a major featured setting for a film or television series. The 2005 documentary film EXPO – Magic of the White City, narrated by Gene Wilder, (link to online video) uses still images of the Columbian Exposition along with video footage (oddly chosen, in some cases) to tell the story of the history of the fair. Advances in computer-generated graphics offer filmmakers unprecedented opportunities to recreate the spectacle of the White City, and many Columbian Exposition enthusiasts have been [...]
West Point Cadets’ Encampment on the Fairgrounds
In honor of Veteran’s Day, let’s look back to the summer of 1893, when the 300 young soldiers camped on the grounds of the World’s Fair in Chicago. The West Point Cadets traveled to the Columbian Exposition by train from their home on the Hudson, pulling into Terminal Station in Jackson Park at noon on August 18. Crowds gathered to watch the troops assemble in the plaza. “The battalion was in full dress,” reported the Chicago Tribune, “and with the spotless white waist and cross belts and bright buttons made a fine display.” Once in formation, the cadets marched [...]