Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Why The 1893 Chicago's World's Fair Still Matters? On Exhibit At The Field Museum

The lagoon is supposed to represent the 400 year anniverary of Columbus discovery of America
The city of Chicago, my home and family's home, is a city which was first incorporated in 1837.  However, in 1871 much of the city lie in ruin as the great Chicago Fire came around.  The city instead of folding over was rebuilt anew.  The great opportunity to show itself off as a world class city was in the 1893 World's Fair, also known as the World's Columbian Exposition.

One of many new food introductions at the fair.


The vault of wonders is currently on display at the Field Museum showing vintage artifacts, photographs, and video reels.  It is a fantastic time capsule capturing agruably the greatest Word's Fair ever.  This fair was the birthplace of the Juicy Fruit chewing gum, Cream of Wheat, Cracker Jack, Ferris Wheel, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Aunt Jemima, spray painting, the Field Museum.  Some of the greatest names in archtiecture took place in the design and layout including Daniel Burnham (Flatiron Building NYC, Union Station DC, Chicago's Lakefront, National Mall) along with Frederick Olmsted (Central Park NYC, Prospect Park NYC, Riverside, IL, Niagara Reservation).



The fair arguably laid the groundwork for Chicago as a great architectural city.  It is also the backdrop for the novel Devil in the White City by Eric Larson in 2003 which is supposed to turn into a film.  The book depicts real life first time serial killer HH Holmes which is a gruesome but exciting read.  The Berghoff Restaraunt in Chicago originally sold beer at the 1893 World's Fair and has remarkably been opne as a restaraunt since.

The exhibit is a great opportunity to fans of Chicago history to see up close and personal many of the artifacts of the world's fair.



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