139. Picturesque World’s Fair – The Pennsylvania

THE PENNSYLVANIA BUILDING.—Among the most conspicuous of the State Buildings in size and cost, that of Pennsylvania possessed an added interest because its front was an exact reproduction of that of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and because it contained the famous Liberty Bell. The edifice was in the Colonial style, of rectangular form, two stories in height, and occupied a ground space one hundred and ten by one hundred and sixty-six feet in area. Piazzas twenty feet wide surrounded [...]

By |2022-05-31T06:08:30-05:00May 31st, 2022|Categories: REPRINTS|Tags: , , |0 Comments

THE CITY OF WONDERS: A Souvenir of the World’s Fair (Chapter 8)

THE CITY OF WONDERS A SOUVENIR OF THE WORLD'S FAIR by Mary Catherine Crowley (1894)

July 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 July 2018 Trivia Question Which of the following Liberty Bells was NOT on display at the 1893 World's Fair? A.  the original Liberty Bell from Philadelphia. B.  a "New Liberty Bell" cast in honor of the Fair. C.  a Liberty Bell made out of oranges and other citrus fruit. D.  [...]

By |2018-08-05T20:23:51-05:00August 5th, 2018|Categories: TRIVIA|Tags: , |0 Comments

A Flag for the Fair

In 1893, the U.S. flag sported forty-four stars for the forty-four states of the union. Flag Day marks the anniversary of adoption of the United States flag on June 14, 1777. An official holiday (though not a federal holiday) since 1946, Flag Day commemorations emerged in the 1880s. Apparently there were no Flag Day observances at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition on June 14, though. In honor of "Old Glory," we offer this article from the November [...]

“I’ll take the 1893 World’s Fair for $200, Alex”

Columbian Exposition fan Dorothy McFarland kindly shared with us some screenshots of the episode of Jeopardy that aired on January 17, 2018, which included the Round 1 category "The 1893 Chicago World’s Fair" ("You remember that," adds host Alex Trebek). The contestants did remember the fair, making a clean sweep of the category. Amanda Griggs provided the correct question to the $200 answer: "Illuminated by thousands of light bulbs, the building seen here was devoted to this new innovation [...]

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 [...]

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