May 5th was opening Day at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, 1893. It was the 400 (and one) anniversary of Columbus arriving in the New World.
Here is an actual souvenir from one of the world buildings, this on Silk culture. There were several silk coccoons, some silk thread, and a silk ribbon with a poem to a silk worm.
I looked up The Columbian Exposition in my “The Book of Knowledge, Children’s encyclopediae” 1945. It was given to me by my grandfather. I found several wonderful bits of information. The Exposition was a year late, because of the time to build everything. There was an official dedication in 1892, but the event was opened to the public in 1893. All the architecture was painted in white, giving the name “the White City”. A note also from the encyclopediae, stated that another Chicago’s World Fair-A Century of Progress, 1933 was opened by a photo-electric cell:
“A tiny beam of light from the bright orange star Arcturus was caught by a telescope to fall on the “electric eye” when the proper time had come. The electrical impulse from the cell was amplified until it was strong enough to throw the switches which turned on all the lights in the Fair Grounds.”
“Arcturus was chosen because light from it takes abut forty years to reach the earth. Think about it! The little beam of light which opened the Fair left the huge star forty years ago when Chicago was holding another World’s Fair, The World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893. Grover Cleveland, who had just become president for the second time, opened that Fair by pressing a button, which seemed hardly less wonderful to your grandparents than does the photo-electric cell to us.”
In the book “Chicago, A Pictorial History” by Herman Kogan and Lloyd Wendt, 1958, there are plenty of pictures of the Columbian Exposition, as well as a few more stories of events and people there.
The founder of Zion, John Alexander Dowie, was a religious faith healer. Before he built the town (a remarkable story that I have planned for another day) he had his “Little Wooden Hut”, an auditorium where he preached in Chicago. According to ‘Only Believe” by Don Stewart, 2001, this building was right outside the entrance to The World’s Fair in 1893. In fact, Dowie had a better location than did Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, which was also outside the main entrance at the World’s Fair.
The last book I have is “Chicago On Foot, An Architectural Walking Tour” by Ira J. Bach, 1969, first edition. On Walk number 16b, “Hyde Park-University of Chicago: Midway Plaisance”, one can see the lagoons, and what is left of the Columbian Exposition, including The Palace of Fine Arts, which with a $5,000,000 bond, and $7,500,000 donation from Julius Rosenwald, was restored into a permanent building now known as The Museum of Science and Industry.
One of the red stars on the Chicago flag, stands for the Chicago Columbian Exposition. You will have to look up what the other three stand for.
Even history can be fun to read. I just skimmed the surface of the Columbian Exposition. Didn’t even discuss Dr. Henry Howard Holmes, and the book “The Devil in the White City” as I have loaned that book out, and so can’t take a picture of it…or my book on the Ferris Wheel (which debuted at the Fair), because I just can’t locate it. Thanks for reading about what I have.
Librarytomes 