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Opening Day, Part 13: The Greatest Crowd

By |2024-02-07T08:33:02-06:00May 4th, 2018|Categories: OPENING DAY|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Greatest Crowd This is Part 13 of our series “Opening Day of the World’s Fair,” which explores the events of May 1, 1893, at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The full series can be found here. They saw a beautiful sight When the Opening Day ceremonies were over, visitors had time to look around the fairgrounds. They saw a beautiful sight: a forest of great buildings decorated with flags, banners, and streamers in artistic designs and harmony [...]

Opening Day, Part 10: The Great Transformation Scene

By |2022-10-10T08:59:18-05:00May 1st, 2018|Categories: OPENING DAY|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Great Transformation Scene This is Part 10 of our series “Opening Day of the World’s Fair,” which explores the events of May 1, 1893, at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The full series can be found here. As the last words fell from his lips at the conclusion of his short address, President Grover Cleveland placed his finger on the telegraph key. With his hand touching the electric switchboard, a chrysalis transformation scene was about to begin [...]

Opening Day, Part 9: President Grover Cleveland’s Address

By |2018-04-29T08:49:56-05:00April 30th, 2018|Categories: OPENING DAY|Tags: , , |

President Grover Cleveland's Address This is Part 9 of our series “Opening Day of the World’s Fair,” which explores the events of May 1, 1893, at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The full series can be found here. Scarcely had Director-General George R. Davis finished his address, when President Cleveland slowly arose from his seat. He swept his eyes first over the occupants of the platform and then over one of the greatest audiences that ever a man [...]

Opening Day, Part 8: The Address by Director-General Davis

By |2018-04-29T07:11:07-05:00April 29th, 2018|Categories: OPENING DAY|Tags: , , , , , , |

The Address by Director-General Davis This is Part 8 of our series “Opening Day of the World’s Fair,” which explores the events of May 1, 1893, at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The full series can be found here. The dignitaries on the platform for the Opening Ceremonies. [Image from the Ryerson and Burnham Archives.] As conductor Thomas laid down his ebony baton following the performance the "Rienzi" overture by the Exposition Orchestra, Director-General George R. Davis [...]

May 11, 2018: Columbian Exposition Talk in St. Louis, MO

By |2022-03-05T10:19:33-06:00April 28th, 2018|Categories: EVENTS (past)|Tags: , |

“Meet me in St. Louis, Louis. Meet me at the fair …” St. Louis hosted their own World’s Fair in 1904--an exposition with a Grand Basin with white palaces of Fine Arts, Electricity, Agriculture, Machinery, Liberal Arts, and Mines; statuary by Daniel Chester French; a Lagoon, international villages, a midway, and even the original Ferris Wheel. In May, the focus in that city will be on the World’s Fair held in Chicago a decade earlier. On Friday, May 11, [...]

Opening Day, Part 6: Reading of “The Prophecy”

By |2018-04-25T20:23:28-05:00April 27th, 2018|Categories: OPENING DAY|Tags: , , , , , , , |

Reading of “The Prophecy” This is Part 6 of our series “Opening Day of the World’s Fair,” which explores the events of May 1, 1893, at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The full series can be found here. At the conclusion of Reverend Milburn’s invocation, General-Director George R. Davis again commanded the attention of the crowd and announced the third number on the program. "I introduce to you Miss Jessie Couthoui, who will read the poem." With faultless [...]

Opening Day, Part 5: Invocation by the Blind Chaplain

By |2018-04-26T06:09:32-05:00April 26th, 2018|Categories: OPENING DAY|Tags: , , , |

Invocation by the Blind Chaplain This is Part 5 of our series “Opening Day of the World’s Fair,” which explores the events of May 1, 1893, at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The full series can be found here. At the conclusion of the performance of the “Columbian March” by the Exposition Orchestra, Director-General George R. Davis approached the front of the platform. He lifted his hand and commanded silence from the vast audience, to which there was [...]

Opening Day, Part 4: Paine’s “Columbian March”

By |2018-05-25T15:59:38-05:00April 25th, 2018|Categories: AUDIO, OPENING DAY|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

Paine’s “Columbian March” This is Part 4 of our series “Opening Day of the World’s Fair,” which explores the events of May 1, 1893, at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The full series can be found here. The Exposition Orchestra Under the main arch of the Administration Building, and in front of a great sounding board, sat the 150 musicians* of the Exposition Orchestra, under the baton of conductor Theodore Thomas. The grandstand beneath them filled with more [...]

Opening Day, Part 3: A Sea of Humanity

By |2023-04-09T08:55:22-05:00April 24th, 2018|Categories: OPENING DAY|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

A Sea of Humanity This is Part 3 of our series “Opening Day of the World’s Fair,” which explores the events of May 1, 1893, at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The full series can be found here. As the procession of the President of the United States began its march south on Michigan Avenue, thousands of people in downtown Chicago began forming their own spontaneous parade to the World’s Fair. Everyone on West Madison Street and North [...]

PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR – The Administration Building (p. 42)

By |2018-03-24T06:19:40-05:00March 24th, 2018|Categories: REPRINTS|Tags: , , , , |

PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR. AN ELABORATE COLLECTION OF COLORED VIEWS Page 42 – THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.—The heart of the great entity known as the Columbian Exposition was in the Administration Building. Here were the offices of the Presidents and here, also, those of the Director-General and some of his immediate lieutenants. From here the vast machinery was directed and controlled, and about here as a nucleus thronged the multitude preliminary to any great festal occasion. It was [...]

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