By : Amanda Lennox, Jake Sparhawk, and Madison Klein
**Accompanying Pinterest Board: https://www.pinterest.com/mddkln/devil-in-the-white-city/
What did the fair hope to teach people?
The World’s Fair: Columbian Exposition was originally a celebration for the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus landing in the New World. Although it did feature three ship exhibits brought in from Spain (huge hits as far as exhibits) and several educational displays about the voyage, this was never what planners wanted people to take away from their trip to the fair. The Columbia Exposition was geared toward a display of the world. It was a way for Chicago to prove themselves as a growing city, and show their resilience after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. It was an educational display of some of the country’s greatest architecture, art, engineering, landscaping, culture, and technology. It was a way to bring the community/country together. And finally, the fair was a grand display of the United States as a country to the world. The recent unveiling of the Eiffel Tower in Paris sparked a competitive spirit in leaders across the country, and America felt it was their time to show that they could produce an event larger and better than anyone had ever seen before.
What was the fair like?
The exposition was located on 600 acres bordering the beautiful backdrop of Lake Michigan called Jackson Park. The location in itself was a challenge for architects. Swampy, sandy, and flat by by nature, creating foundations for the many buildings and rides was a challenge throughout the construction process. Construction often consisted of digging deep into bedrock, or had to hope the sand didn’t settle too much after complete. Absent of trees and shrubbery, it was quite literally a blank canvas. The only real feature of beauty was Lake Michigan in the distance. Landscaper Frederick Olmsted, designer of works like Prospect Park and Central Park, was assigned the task of recreating the scene. His goal was to make landscape an art, and have people appreciate it as such; although at first weary of the job, he eventually gave in and tried to do just that. Featured exhibits covered music, art, religion, horticulture, technology, anthropology, guns, and much more, accompanied by rides and concessions. People from forty-six countries participated, making the gathering as much a cultural experience as an amusement one. Based on Beaux Arts principles of design, The fair itself was a city of its own, nicknamed the White City. Symmetry, balance, and splendor marked every building in neoclassical style. An estimated 28 million visitors attended the fair, 14 million of which were from outside of the US.
The Ferris Wheel
The entire fair was a display of splendor, but there was one attraction that eclipsed any other display and drew in crowds from miles away. It was designed to rival structures such as the Eiffel Tower; architect Daniel Burnham, given the enormous task of designing the fair, called for “something novel, original, daring, and unique.” Hundreds of ideas were turned away from some of the most prominent engineers in the United States. Finally, they found an idea that fit the bill: George Washington Gale Ferris Jr.’s Ferris wheel. Although not the first to think of this idea, the Ferris wheel was the largest ever built in sheer size at 264 feet tall, rotating on a 71 ton axle. It held thirty six passenger cars that could fit up to 60 people for a total capacity of 2,160. Fifty cents a person for one 20-minute revolution provided an aerial view unimaginable to the common citizen of the time. Although the ride was smooth and gentle, the height of the structure and being the first of its kind gave it an element of danger comparable to that of modern roller coasters. At night, the wheel was lit up with twinkly lights, and was a beautiful addition to the already picturesque park. Despite its highly anticipated use as an attraction at the fair, the wheel was quickly abandoned when the fair was over. The wheel lasted only thirteen years after the end of the fair. It was moved to Lincoln Park in 1895, sold in 1896, moved to St. Louis in 1904, and finally was beyond repair in 1906. The demise of the wheel was demolition and scrap metal.
The fair was meant to exhibit many things; the Ferris wheel served mostly to impress. It was the exhibit that boasted the engineering of America, drew in revenue, and served as the focal point of grandness of the fair. It challenged engineering. Although structurally sound on paper, there was no telling whether or not it would withstand the variables of real life. Our Pinterest board serves as a visual aid to these factors; it shows the grand size of the wheel and its shining lights at night. The images also show the complex, crisscrossing web of supporting iron bars that made the structure so strong.
The Legacy of the Fair
Not only did the fair challenge architects and engineers in its grand displays, but out of it came improved fire codes, water systems, electricity, and public sanitation. These many styles of technological advances helped Americans understand that their progress to an industrial nation was soon to be. The industrial era was a time of hopes and dreams which gave the American people an insight to a bright future and to our now modern day society. This era also gave America a cultural symbol. American culture really blossomed because of this fair. We got the introduction to a new holiday, Columbus Day. We introduced the pledge of allegiance into classrooms which gave the citizens a new form of patriotism and love for our country. We also got a big push in American advertisements. Museums were opened to promote new American products such as Cream of Wheat, Shredded Wheat, Pabst Beer, Aunt Jemima syrup, and Juicy Fruit gum which is still prominent in our modern century.
One of the most important piece I believe in the culture was the introduction to new music, such as John Phillip Sousa’s work was mainly used during the marching bands and Antonín Dvořák composed the New World Symphony in honor of the fair. The music and entertainment industry during this fair began the concept of amusement parks in the 20th century. This was the beginning of the most known and loved park, Disneyland and DisneyWorld.
Overall, the fair was a positive turnout in America’s legacy. It showed how much we accepted the new technological advances and consumer products being introduced. It truly left a lasting effect on our nation and gave us the layout for our modern America.
Sources:
- http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/history-ferris-wheel-180955300/?no-ist
- http://gizmodo.com/5987466/the-life-and-explosive-death-of-the-worlds-first-ferris-wheel
- http://columbus.iit.edu/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World%27s_Columbian_Exposition
- http://columbus.iit.edu/bookfair/bftoc.html
- http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ma96/wce/legacy.html
- “The Devil in the White City” by Erik Larson
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