Woman’s Building – Page 2 – Chicago's 1893 Worlds Fair

Which 1893 World’s Fair building is Among “The 12 Most Controversial Buildings in America”?
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Which 1893 World’s Fair building is Among “The 12 Most Controversial Buildings in America”?

NEWS

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 [...]

By Scott|2019-06-22T10:46:40-05:00June 22nd, 2019|Categories: NEWS|Tags: Sophia Hayden, Woman's Building|0 Comments

Louisville celebrates 1893 World’s Fair sculptor Enid Yandell
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Louisville celebrates 1893 World’s Fair sculptor Enid Yandell

EVENTS (past), NEWS

Louisville celebrates 1893 World’s Fair sculptor Enid Yandell

Louisville, Kentucky, is celebrating hometown sculptor Enid Yandell (1870-1934) with a series of events in 2019. The Louisville native, who studied under Auguste Rodin and Frederick MacMonnies, contributed several notable works to the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Yandell sculpted the four caryatids supporting the railing of the roof garden of the Woman’s Building. She was selected for the job for Bertha Palmer, President of the Board of Lady Managers and herself a Kentucky native. The artist also [...]

By Scott|2026-06-14T13:22:10-05:00April 25th, 2019|Categories: EVENTS (past), NEWS|Tags: Bertha Palmer, Daniel Boone (statue), Enid Yandell, Frederick MacMonnies, Kentucky State Building, Woman's Building|1 Comment

Libraries at the Columbian Exposition
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Libraries at the Columbian Exposition

REPRINTS

Libraries at the Columbian Exposition

“Extremes meet at Chicago.” —librarian Caroline Harwood Garland. The 1893 World’s Fair was full of contrasts: exotic dancing on the Midway and educational exhibits; fountains illuminated by electricity and bibles illuminated by paintings, dynamos and the Dewey decimal system; balloon rides and books. Amidst the Cracker Jack and orange cider was also “food for reflection in the existence of so many libraries.” To celebrate National Library Week, let’s take a look at libraries at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. [...]

By Scott|2024-04-10T16:45:52-05:00April 7th, 2019|Categories: REPRINTS|Tags: Arkansas State Building, Battleship Illinois, Brazil Building, California State Building, Candace Wheeler, Ceylon Building, Children's Building, Clara Doty Bates, Colorado State Building, Costa Rica Building, Dora Wheeler Keith, East India Building, Florida State Building, Germany Building, Guatemala Building, Hamlin Garland, Idaho State Building, Ignacy Paderewski, Illinois State Building, Indiana State Building, Iowa State Building, Java Village, Kansas State Building, Kentucky State Building, Louisiana State Building, Maine State Building, Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building, Mary Hartwell Catherwood, Maryland State Building, Mines and Mining Building, Missouri State Building, Music Hall, Nebraska State Building, New York State Building, North Dakota State Building, Ohio, Pennsylvania State Building, rolling chairs, South Dakota State Building, Swedish Building (Sweden), Territory Building, Texas State Building, Theodore Thomas, Tiffany, Turkish Building (Turkey), U.S. Government Building, Utah State Building, Venezuela Building, Victoria House, Virginia State Building, Washington State Building, Wisconsin State Building, Woman's Building|0 Comments

Woman’s Part at the World’s Fair, Part III
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Woman’s Part at the World’s Fair, Part III

REPRINTS

Woman’s Part at the World’s Fair, Part III

Throughout Women’s History Month, we’re reflecting on women’s valuable contributions to the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. Reprinted here is Part 3 of “Woman’s Part at the World’s Fair” from the May 1893 issue of The Review of Reviews. “The Children's Building” was contributed by Clara Doty Bates, who served as the librarian for the building. Earlier this month we posted Part 1 and Part 2. Additional images have been added to the original article. Clara Doty Bates. [Image [...]

By Scott|2026-07-19T09:08:15-05:00March 20th, 2019|Categories: REPRINTS|Tags: Alexander Sandier, Bertha Palmer, Board of Lady Managers, Children's Building, Clara Doty Bates, Columbian Bazaar, Emily Huntington, Mrs. George L. Dunlap, Pauline A. Shaw, Woman's Building|1 Comment

Woman’s Part at the World’s Fair, Part I
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Woman’s Part at the World’s Fair, Part I

REPRINTS

Woman’s Part at the World’s Fair, Part I

March is Women’s History Month and a fitting time to reflect on women’s valuable contributions to the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. Reprinted here is Part 1 of “Woman’s Part at the World’s Fair” from the May 1893 issue of The Review of Reviews. “The Work of the Board of Lady Managers” was written by one of its Vice Presidents, Virginia C. Meredith of Indiana. Parts 2 and 3 will follow later this month. Section headers and additional images have [...]

By Scott|2024-04-01T18:57:31-05:00March 1st, 2019|Categories: REPRINTS|Tags: Bertha Palmer, Board of Lady Managers, Candace Wheeler, Sophia Hayden, Virginia Meredith, Woman's Building|0 Comments

Jan. 24, 2019: Sophia Hayden’s Gold Medal To Be Auctioned
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Jan. 24, 2019: Sophia Hayden’s Gold Medal To Be Auctioned

ANTIQUES, EVENTS (past)

Jan. 24, 2019: Sophia Hayden’s Gold Medal To Be Auctioned

The reverse of Hayden's presentation medal . [Image from John McInnis Auctioneers.] John McInnis Auctioneers (76 Main Street, Amesbury, MA) will offer a rare item from the 1893 World’s Fair in their “Numismatics, Exonumia, Silver and Jewelry” auction on Thursday January 24, 2019. Lot 10 is a 14-karat gold presentation medal awarded to architect Sophia Hayden for her design of the Woman’s Building. An inscription on the obverse reads "Sophia G. Hayden--Presented by the Board of Lady Managers [...]

By Scott|2019-01-30T21:33:32-06:00January 16th, 2019|Categories: ANTIQUES, EVENTS (past)|Tags: auction, Bertha Palmer, Daniel Burnham, Sophia Hayden, Woman's Building|0 Comments

“World’s Fairs and the Death of Optimism”
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“World’s Fairs and the Death of Optimism”

NEWS

“World’s Fairs and the Death of Optimism”

Darran Anderson’s essay “World’s Fairs and the Death of Optimism” (citylab.com, October 3, 2018) addresses the fading luster of World’s Fairs and uses some examples from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago to illustrate his point. “World’s Fairs fell from grace,” writes Anderson. “Who could blame nostalgia towards witnessing the Crystal Palace, the head of the Statue of Liberty in a Parisian park, the extra-terrestrial Trylon and Perisphere, or the Tower of the Sun? This was bolstered by [...]

By Scott|2018-10-19T16:14:35-05:00October 20th, 2018|Categories: NEWS|Tags: Dankmar Adler, Ferris Wheel, Golden Door, Lorado Taft, Louis Sullivan, Sophia Hayden, Transportation Building, White Rabbits, Woman's Building|1 Comment

Remembering Sophia Hayden, architect of the Woman’s Building
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Remembering Sophia Hayden, architect of the Woman’s Building

REPRINTS

Remembering Sophia Hayden, architect of the Woman’s Building

Today marks the anniversary of the birth of Sophia Gregoria Hayden on October 17, 1868, in Santiago, Chile. The first female graduate of the four-year program in architecture at MIT, Hayden won the national competition to design the Woman’s Building for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. In her essay on the Woman’s Pavilion, Anna Burrows observes that “due to its limited dimensions, Sophia Hayden deemed it more effective to concentrate attention on the outside details. For these reasons, the [...]

By Scott|2018-10-14T17:19:01-05:00October 17th, 2018|Categories: REPRINTS|Tags: Sophia Hayden, Woman's Building|0 Comments

PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR – Entrance to Woman’s Building (p. 65)
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PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR – Entrance to Woman’s Building (p. 65)

REPRINTS

PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR – Entrance to Woman’s Building (p. 65)

PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR. AN ELABORATE COLLECTION OF COLORED VIEWS Page 65 – ENTRANCE TO WOMAN'S BUILDING ENTRANCE TO WOMAN'S BUILDING.—The view given in the accompanying illustration is of the east portal to the transept of the Woman's Building, and it may be said of it, as might be said of other portion of the edifice, that it appeared best upon a close inspection. The building, accidentally, no doubt, but none the less certainly, had a feminine character, lacking boldness [...]

By Randy|2024-11-12T12:52:00-06:00September 28th, 2018|Categories: REPRINTS|Tags: Alice Rideout, Bertha Palmer, PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR, Sophia Hayden, Woman's Building|0 Comments

Chicago History Museum Members Open House 2018
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Chicago History Museum Members Open House 2018

EVENTS (past), NEWS

Chicago History Museum Members Open House 2018

We are enthusiastic supporters of the Chicago History Museum here at WorldsFairChicago1893.com. The museum (formerly known as the Chicago Historical Society) owns a collection filled with interesting and rare items pertaining to the 1893 World’s Fair. The museum’s regular displays of WCE artifacts can be viewed in the “Chicago Crossroads” exhibit, and a stunning miniature view of the Court of Honor on the Grand Basin resides in the Chicago Dioramas room. The CHM Research Center provided access to one [...]

By Scott|2018-07-07T12:46:15-05:00July 7th, 2018|Categories: EVENTS (past), NEWS|Tags: Chase and Sanborn Coffee, Chicago History Museum, Libbey Glass, U.S. Government Building, Woman's Building|0 Comments

A Flag for the Fair
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A Flag for the Fair

REPRINTS

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 [...]

By Scott|2026-06-12T13:11:56-05:00June 14th, 2018|Categories: REPRINTS|Tags: Board of Lady Managers, Columbian Liberty Bell, Dedication Day, Exposition Flag, Flag Day, George Simeon Knapp, John Paul Jones flag, Liberty Bell, Pennsylvania State Building, Woman's Building, World's Columbian Exposition Illustrated|1 Comment

May 2018 Trivia Question
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May 2018 Trivia Question

TRIVIA

May 2018 Trivia Question

Our monthly newsletter includes a “Palmer Puzzler” exclusive to those who subscribe. The first person to send us the correct answer wins a small prize. The May 2018 Trivia Question To celebrate the opening of the 1893 World’s Fair and the Woman’s Building, what did Bertha Palmer drive? A. an electric “automobile” on display in the Transportation Building B. a hard bargain with Director-General Davis to have President Grover Cleveland visit her building C. a golden nail into a [...]

By Scott|2018-05-09T18:47:11-05:00May 16th, 2018|Categories: TRIVIA|Tags: Bertha Palmer, golden nail, Woman's Building|0 Comments

“Shock of the New: The Legacy of the 1893 World’s Fair” on BackStory
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“Shock of the New: The Legacy of the 1893 World’s Fair” on BackStory

AUDIO, NEWS

“Shock of the New: The Legacy of the 1893 World’s Fair” on BackStory

On May 11, the American history podcast BackStory released episode #0238, an hour-long exploration of the Columbian Exposition titled “Shock of the New: The Legacy of the 1893 World’s Fair.” Hosts Ed Ayers, Nathan Connolly, and Joanne Freeman invite listeners to visit the fairgrounds starting with a segment called “Dreaming Bigger.” Historian Bernie Carlson then explores the role of electricity at the fair in “Electric Feel.” Purdue University Associate Professor & Director Women's Studies Tracey Jean Boisseau highlights the [...]

By Scott|2022-10-08T09:32:36-05:00May 13th, 2018|Categories: AUDIO, NEWS|Tags: electricity, Haiti Building, Midway Plaisance, Woman's Building, World's Congress of Religions|0 Comments

Opening Day, Part 12: Tour of the Fairgrounds
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Opening Day, Part 12: Tour of the Fairgrounds

OPENING DAY

Opening Day, Part 12: Tour of the Fairgrounds

Tour of the Fairgrounds This is Part 12 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. After the “Banquet of Nations” luncheon, President Cleveland and his entourage embarked on a whirlwind tour of the Columbian Exposition grounds and buildings. They departed from the north entrance of the Administration Building where carriages were waiting. “President Cleveland [...]

Opening Day, Part 2: Presidential Procession to the Fairgrounds
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Opening Day, Part 2: Presidential Procession to the Fairgrounds

OPENING DAY

Opening Day, Part 2: Presidential Procession to the Fairgrounds

Presidential Procession to the Fairgrounds This is Part 2 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. Finely decorated with flags and bunting The Auditorium Building, where the Duke of Vergua stayed. [Image from the Rijksmueum, Amsterdam.] On the morning of Opening Day of the 1893 World’s Fair, the center of attraction in downtown Chicago [...]

Opening Day, Introduction: Chicago’s Day of Days
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Opening Day, Introduction: Chicago’s Day of Days

OPENING DAY

Opening Day, Introduction: Chicago’s Day of Days

Chicago’s Day of Days May 1, 1893 "Opening of the World's Fair" [Image from the Library of Congress.] The day of days had arrived in Chicago. After winning the bid to host the World’s Columbian Exposition, months of searching to select Jackson Park as the site of the fairgrounds, the death of the lead architect, two years of constructing a White City on the shores of Lake Michigan, damaging winter storms, delays and setbacks, and a Dedication Day [...]

By Scott|2018-04-21T06:50:59-05:00April 21st, 2018|Categories: OPENING DAY|Tags: Grover Cleveland, May 1, Opening Day, Woman's Building|1 Comment

March 23/25, 2018: Lecture on Composer Amy Beach (Boston)
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March 23/25, 2018: Lecture on Composer Amy Beach (Boston)

EVENTS (past)

March 23/25, 2018: Lecture on Composer Amy Beach (Boston)

Composer and pianist Amy Beach (1867-1944) made significant musical contributions to the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. The Board of Lady Managers of the World's Columbian Exposition commissioned Beach to compose her Festival Jubilate (Op. 17) for the dedication of the Woman’s Building in October of 1892. This was her first commissioned work and reportedly is the first known work of an American woman composer commissioned in the U.S. “Why Amy Beach Matters” is the title of a lecture and [...]

By Scott|2023-01-12T20:31:04-06:00March 19th, 2018|Categories: EVENTS (past)|Tags: Amy Beach, Board of Lady Managers, Festival Jubilate, Maud Powell, music, Woman's Building, Women’s Musical Congress|0 Comments

PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR. AN ELABORATE COLLECTION OF COLORED VIEWS (p. 27)
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PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR. AN ELABORATE COLLECTION OF COLORED VIEWS (p. 27)

REPRINTS

PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR. AN ELABORATE COLLECTION OF COLORED VIEWS (p. 27)

PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR. AN ELABORATE COLLECTION OF COLORED VIEWS Page 27 THE WOMAN'S BUILDING.—In no Exposition previous to that of 1893 was there a great building designed by women and devoted especially to a display of women's work. That the Columbian Exposition should have such a structure was a natural outcome of the movement which made a Board of Lady Managers with a voice in the control of certain branches of exhibition. The Woman's Building occupied an exceptionally fine [...]

By Randy|2018-03-11T14:37:56-05:00January 29th, 2018|Categories: REPRINTS|Tags: PICTURESQUE WORLD’S FAIR, Sophia Hayden, Woman's Building|0 Comments

Updates on the Obama Presidential Center plans for Jackson Park
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Updates on the Obama Presidential Center plans for Jackson Park

NEWS

Updates on the Obama Presidential Center plans for Jackson Park

January brought a flurry of planning activity for the Obama Presidential Center (OPC) along with heavy gusts of protest against the proposed development in Jackson Park. Both those favoring and those opposing the OPC proposal looked back to the 1893 World's Fair and invoked Frederick Law Olmsted's vision for the park after the Columbian Exposition to support their position. On January 8, the Obama Foundation released new design plans for OPC space on the west side of the lagoon. The [...]

By Scott|2021-05-05T14:21:30-05:00January 28th, 2018|Categories: NEWS|Tags: Calvert Vaux, Children's Building, Frederick Law Olmsted, Horticultural Building, Midway Plaisance, Obama Presidential Center, University of Chicago, Woman's Building|0 Comments

Nov. 30, 2017: “Fair Game” theater show at Northwestern University
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Nov. 30, 2017: “Fair Game” theater show at Northwestern University

EVENTS (past), THEATER

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 [...]

By Scott|2024-10-27T12:18:13-05:00November 18th, 2017|Categories: EVENTS (past), THEATER|Tags: Amy Beach, Bertha Palmer, Carter Harrison, Daniel Burnham, Devil in the White City (book), Eugene Patrick Prendergast, Frederick Law Olmsted, George Ferris, H. H. Holmes, John Root, Sol Bloom, Sophia Hayden, theater, Woman's Building|0 Comments

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