CHICAGO TIMES
“The White City” Edition
VOL. 01, NO.01
World’s First Ferris Wheel
Undoubtedly the most popular
attraction at the fair is George W.
Ferris’s wheel, which carries
passengers 264-feet into the sky
for two revolutions. This massive
wheel consists of two 140-foot
steel towers for support and the
largest single piece of forged steel
in the world, an axle measuring
45 feet. Two 1000 horsepower
reversible engines power the
enormous wheel, which has 36
wooden cars holding 60 people
each.5 A young boy that just got
off the Ferris Wheel commented
with, “I could see for miles out
into Lake Michigan and back to
Chicago and the surrounding
farmland.”1 Fair visitors can ride
the Ferris Wheel for 50 cents a
person.
FAIR ADMISSION PRICES
General Admission:
Adults: 50 cents
Children 6–12: 25 cents
Edited By Daniel Hojnacki
Children under 6: Free
September, 20 1893
The World’s Columbian Exposition
This year marks the 400th anniversary for Christopher
Columbus’s discovery of America. In honor of him, a grand
exposition was organized, constructed, and named The World’s
Columbian Exposition. The World’s Fair promotes the advancement
in science, technology and culture of man since Columbus landed
in the New World. This marvelous exhibition opened in great
anticipation five months ago in May and will last until the end of
October. People from all over the world have traveled countless
days across prairies and oceans, through forests and swamps, all
to see what the commotion is about. Visitors are entertained for
days, exploring the 633 acres of buildings, 250,000 exhibits,
various parks, shows and rides.4
The famous fairgrounds can be entered either from the east
through the Lake Michigan pier via steamboat, the street entrance
from the west or the railroad located on the southwest portion of
the fairgrounds. The most noticeable building as visitors enter the
fair is the 55,000 square-foot, domed Administration Building
designed by Richard Hunt from New York. This building along with
many of the buildings within the fair, display an elaborate Beaux
Arts architectural style.3 The large lake, known as the Grand Basin,
is located near the Administration Building, and seems like a
separate city itself, as the buildings reflect off the water’s surface.
The enormity of it all overwhelms the visitor’s vision with sights
never seen anywhere else.
The Machinery Building, displaying some of the new
technological inventions, include: Whitney’s cotton gin, the world’s
largest conveyor belt, and several different types of sewing
machines. This is also where 43 steam engines and 127 dynamos
produce the electricity that is needed for all the exhibits. Moving to
the 400,000 square-foot Agriculture Building, visitors can view an
unusual map of the United States made out of pickles and two
Liberty Bells; one made of wheat, rye, and oats while the other one
is made out of oranges3.
As visitors explore northward, they encounter the
Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building, covering over 11 acres.
Manufactured goods, such as Remington typewriters and stained
glass from Tiffany & Co., can be purchased here. Items from
Austria, France and everywhere in between (99 Foreign Nations
and Provinces)4 are on display for sale, ranging from clothes to
furniture.
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BUFFALO BILL’S WILD
WEST SHOW
Join the adventurous Bill Cody,
better known as “Buffalo Bill”, spare
his life battling Native American
forces and resisting their attempts of
stealing stagecoaches or even killing
him. The cowboys will mystify you
with their supernatural gun skills
including trick shots and accurate,
precision shooting. Buffalo Bill’s
amazing horseback riding skills and
realistic, action-packed reenactments
of Custer’s Last Stand will keep you
entertained for hours, leaving you
wanting more! Come join us at the
World’s Columbian Exposition.
Also Starring Annie Oakely, Sitting
Bull, Red Cloud, Short Bull and
Frank North.
The Palace of Fine Arts contains majestic artwork by world
famous painters such as Thomas Eakins, Winslow Homer, Mary
Cassatt and Camille Pisarro. Leaving the refined area of arts, fairgoers can venture into the rugged outdoors on the Wooded Island,
where they can relax at the Hunter’s Cabin. This old-fashioned log
cabin was built to symbolize the many adventures experienced by
Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone.3 The Island also features park
benches and footpaths to escape the crowded fairways.
The Midway will entertain fair-goers for hours as they visit
the Hagenbeck’s Zoo, the Natatorium, model replications of the
Eiffel Tower and St. Peter’s Basilica, along with the many souvenir
stands. You can grab the world’s first, hamburger and a thirst
quenching, diet-carbonated soda on the Midway.4 Many other
featured buildings seem to dazzle visitors such as the Horticultural
Building, the Transportation Building, the Mines and Mining
Building, the Fisheries Building as well as the Electricity Building.3
The many exhibits will drain your pockets as young Harvey
Cushing, a Yale College graduate starting his third year in medical
school at Harvard, can attest to. He came to the fair with $91.84,
and after a week-long stay, left with less than $4.00.2 This
seemingly evaporating money is due to the many large attractions,
such as the Ferris Wheel, which are not covered under the general
admission fee. Visitors must then open their wallets to be able to
get a taste of these stunning attractions. The shear large size of
the fair means that a person cannot possibly see it all in one day,
and must return. Adding on food and souvenir costs, it’s no wonder
visitors go home with a lot less money than when they arrived. Yet,
many visitors, like Mr. Cushing, still leave wishing they could have
had more time to explore all the exhibits that the fair has to offer.2
Nowhere on this planet does technology, education and
diverse cultures come together and interact in one place. A 13year-old farm boy that traveled from a farm out west said, “I left
the fair that day with so many images in my head not knowing
what to think of it all. So many different kinds of people in the
world, so many different ways of life, and so many new
inventions.”1 The immense diversity encompassed within The
World’s Fair left visitors with a lasting impression of all that was
out there in the world. What does this mean for the future of
America? It shows everyone that while America was once brash
and youthful, it is now cultured and educated.
Statisticians estimate that by the end of October,
approximately 27 million people from all over the world will have
visited the famous fair.4 These people will have experienced the
most extravagant event to have ever happened on this planet. They
will possess the knowledge of other cultures they had never
encountered before. They will have an understanding of the new
technologies that are popping up in each country. And they will be
able to say that they experienced history. All of this, they will tell
you, was worth the loss of several hard-earned dollars.
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Primary Source
1
“At the World’s Fair-from the lost diary of Isak Isakson” 2001. 7 April 2006.
<http://www.timbuktoad.com/lostdiaries/isakexpo.htm>
Secondary Sources
2
Froetschel, Susan. “A leather-bound diary, a young Harvey Cushing” Yale Medicine. Autumn 2002.
11 April 2006. <http://yalemedicine.yale.edu/ym_au02/capsule.html>
3
Rose, Julie. “The World’s Columbian Exposition: Idea, Experience, Aftermath” 1996. 7 April 2006.
<http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ma96/WCE/title.html>
Other References
4
Daniloski, Stan. “The World’s Fair and Exposition Information and Reference Guide” 2003. 7 April
2006. <http://www.earthstation9.com/index.html?1893_chi.htm>
5
Gilpin, Melinda. “The World’s Columbian Exposition” 1999. 7 April 2006.
<http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/acs/1890s/chicagowfair/worldsfair.html>
Pictures
Top left picture on first page provided by:
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/fa267/1893/1893_02.jpg
Ferris Wheel picture provided by http://library.ucls.uchicago.edu/columbia.html
Pictures of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show provided by:
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/WWwildwestshow.htm
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