The 1893 World’s Fair Essay

Daniel H. Burnham, the Chief of Construction for the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, challenged civil engineers of the United States to create a build that could compete with the Eiffel Tower. The creation had to be original, daring and unique. Ferris’s idea was a “revolving observation wheel.” The sketch was two large parallel circles connected with struts that revolved around a steel axis. George was sure of his idea and was ready to present it the following day. The committee found his structure “unrealistic and superficial” due to its size and purpose. He talked with fellow engineers and convinced them to help on the build. George also found investors to pay $400,000 for the construction of the wheel. His idea was approved on November 29, 1892. George struggled to get the idea approved but the real constructing and financing of the structure was even harder. Financing the project was tough because of the depression. George took control to secure the concession. His partner, William F. Grnau, was in charge of design detail and construction responsibility. They had to contact several companies in East and Midwest for the production of parts needed to build the wheel. After the foundation was built, the two parallel towers were next. Built out of vertical posts and horizontal braces, the 45-ton axle was fastened to the two towers with spokes, beams, and iron rods. It was supported with

The 1893 Chicago, Illinois World’s Fair, also known as the Columbian Exposition, was an extended celebration in memory of the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s discovery of America. The World’s Fair was a major milestone in  history because it gave insight to what Americans could  accomplish in the future, when pushed to their full extent. It came with many firsts, allowing Americans to take part in, and experience things that were, at the time, unheard of to humans. It greatly accelerated the urbanization of America. Although at the time it was just a celebration, the six-month sensation had a far greater significance. The influence it had on American society in the coming years had been far greater than anyone could have imagined, as well as the role it played in the American Gilded Age, and the debatable topic it devised, concerning whether the World’s Fair was viewed as a “white city,” “black city,” or both. The World’s Fair changed American society in more ways than not. For instance, everyone doubted them. They did not think that Americans had what it took to successfully construct and manage the fair, let alone outdo the Eiffel Tower, (built for the 1889 Paris Exposition) but in constructing the Ferris Wheel, they accomplished just that. This widely changed the perception of Chicago, and America as well. The World’s Fair had transformed Chicago from a nothing town, to one of the main points of interest in America. The fair’s sanitary conditions set an

The 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, more formally known as the Columbian Exposition, was a fair constructed to celebrate Columbus’ arrival in the New World. Chicago was known as the White City, but did not appear as pure and spotless as its name suggested. For instance, there were many ways one could get killed. “Fire took a dozen lives a day...There was diphtheria, typhus, cholera, influenza. And there was murder.” (Larson 12). These unstoppable causes of death was one of the reasons Chicago’s reputation was tarnished. Furthermore, the Panic of 1893 struck and greatly affected the city of Chicago. The Panic’s effects included “financial crises”, “bankruptcy”, and “high rates of unemployment and homelessness”. (Panic of 1893). Because of the city’s economic depression, the fair would decide whether Chicago’s circumstances would improve or deteriorate. Eventually, the 1893 Chicago’s World Fair displayed what America would soon become in an industrial, military, and economic perspective.

One of the first things that I noticed about The Met was its exterior architecture. Like many historical buildings and museums, The Met's architecture is highly influenced by European architecture; in this case, it appears as though the architecture is attempting to emulate the gothic style. Once inside the daunting faรงade, I was pleasantly surprised to see how richly illuminated the museum was. What made it even more remarkable was that much of the light appeared to permeate through skylights that had been built into the building's ceiling. Moreover, I was pleasantly surprised to see that The Met was considerably less crowded than the American Museum of Natural History, which I had visited the day before.

This novel describes the years surrounding the building of the 1893 Chicago World 's Fair, also known as The World 's Columbian Exposition, which was designed to commemorate the landing of Columbus in America.

"Chicago has disappointed her enemies and astonished the world." (310) These quotes, along with many others, show how truly "magical" the Chicago World's Fair actually was. The nightlife was especially extravagant with special shows and attractions that citizens would never be able to see otherwise. As for the quote on page 310, Chicago really did astonish the whole world. The fair was made specifically to show New York who was really boss all while proving to the world that Chicago could create a fair so well put together that it would shame the Paris fair attendance record out of the ballpark by at least 300,000 visitors for one day. This is a national fair, which was specifically designed to attempt to shock the

The Columbian World’s Exposition of 1893 marked an important time in American history. The overall fame of the World’s Columbian Exposition, or also known as the Chicago World’s Fair, is in large part due to the spread of ideas and inventions that originated at the fair itself. The novel, The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, depicts a clear portrait of the fair’s impact in the time leading up to, during, and after the exposition. The fair established itself as a metaphorical historical monument, in the way that it honored the past and served as a memorial to Columbus, and the way that it impacted future societies and events. The fair began as a show of superiority on part of American society, over all other countries, like France or England. Regarding competition, the fair sought to “Out-Eiffel” Gustave Eiffel, architect of the Eiffel Tower, for architecture, and to outclass the rest of the world in all other fields. The fair also served to foreshadow the growing powers of America both intellectually and militarily; the spirit and ideas shown at the fair showed the emergence of intellectual superiority that would only serve as a sample of the achievements of society that were yet to come. The intellectual productions of the fair can be attributed to the architectural firm coordinating the event, Burnham and Root. The firm was headed by Daniel Burnham and John Root, both accredited as the brightest in their field. Under their management, the Chicago World’s Fair

Daniel Burnham and John Root’s project of the Chicago World’s Fair convinces the reader that the project was tremendously rushed. Burnham and Root faced a lot of complications and dilemmas. Starting with the time constraint when the Fair needed to be finished. “If an engineer capable of besting Eiffel did not step forward soon, Burnham knew, there simply would not be enough time left to build anything worthy of the fair. Somehow he needed to rouse the engineers of America.” (155) Burnham was given ___ years until the opening date May 1, 1893. This project had to be done swiftly and still galvanize America, and more importantly the world. With this difficulty that Burnham had to confront, he also had to confront his architectural team about their artistic views and how they could comprise on an unambiguous theme for the Fair. Certainly with the time limitations Burnham and his team of employees faced, some obstacles would occur with the treatment of his workers. Burnham had to open the fair in two weeks, it was mid-April, “ the weather was gorgeous, but other cruelties abounded. Four exposition workers lost their lives, two from fractured skulls, two electrocuted. The

Given the nickname the "White City" because of its elegant and pristine buildings, the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 was one of the most powerful events in American history. There were long lasting impacts on American culture, economy, and technology- the fair brought new advancements in virtually every aspect of daily life. It was held “to commemorate Columbus’s discovery of the New World” (Larson 15). The fair was a symbol of the expertise America possessed, but simultaneously highlighted the hardships that surrounded it. The fair increased wages, marketed more products for public use, and produced architectural feats that challenged the ones that stood at the 1889 Exposition Universelle. There was much more to the fair behind the showstopping displays that it created. Behind the exotic Algerian belly dancers and astonishing replicas of famous cities, the corporate world was establishing its dominance. Labor unions struggled to fight for fair wages and working time. Although disturbances and disagreements in the construction of the fair foreshadowed a negative ending, breakthroughs such as white lead paint and the Ferris Wheel attracted many visitors. The Chicago World's Fair of 1893 is a vivid exhibit of the independent cultural, economical, and technological superpower that America would grow to become in the future.

The fair was a marvel of construction, planning and architecture for the day. Never had anything on that scale, in the time frame that was given, been attempted. In around 2 years, the builders terraformed a piece of blasted wasteland into the finished product. They built massive buildings on ground that was basically quicksand before they started. Olmstead landscaped the whole site, with construction going on, in a period of months. The construction effort suffered many setbacks and disasters, with the wind and rain destroying many buildings as they were being built. They built the fair in these trying conditions, with labor problems, it was a miracle.

The thought of Chicago hosting the world’s fair would be daunting at first, but it could turn around the reputation of Chicago from one of a city of gloom and darkness, to one of a city of light and progress from the Great Chicago fire of 1871, and that city would be fascinating for years to come. Chicago would get an economic shot in the arm from the revenue that it would get from hosting the 1893 World Fair and it would make Chicago into a great city of America. The event and also the transformation that would happen to the city of Chicago would not have happened if it would not be for one great man who had taken up the challenge to make sure to host this 1893 World fair.

The St. Louis World's Fair (1904), which was held in Forest Park, captured global attention as it displayed various technological developments. The fair celebrated the centennial of the Louisiana Purchase and transformed Forest Park into a veritable fairyland of white palaces, lagoons, and landscaping, attracting 20,000,000 visitors to the City. The fair focused worldwide attention on St. Louis and caused increased construction of new hotels, office buildings, and homes, which continued until World War I. Throughout this time, St. Louis industry enjoyed a steady substantial growth. The City became the world's largest producer of beer, shoes, stoves, wagons, and many other products. Because of diversified

Throughout the history of the United States, ingenuity and creativity have been a strong point in the development of the United States. In designing the buildings for the World’s Fair, Daniel Burnham shows his talent in architecture by creating new and innovative designs with his partner John Root. Both Burnham and Root had been already successful architects and known for their designs. Even before Chicago was confirmed as the site of the

The Palace of Fine Arts was one of the finest buildings constructed for the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. It was one of the most important symbols of the fair, situated near its center, at the end of the axis on which were located the Courts of the Four Seasons and of the Universe at the center, and the Court of Abundance, with the Machinery Palace framing the other side.

Towards the city’s heavily trafficked center the Roman Forum was constructed for convenient easy access of all the citizens. The foreground of the forum was occupied by a paved square with monuments to famous citizens. The temple to the Divine Julius, dedicated in 29 BCE to the deified Caesar, built in a Hellenistic style, is located in the background on the left; to the right is the temple of Vesta and the house of the Vestal Virgins, guardians of the everlasting flame; further to the right is the temple of the Dioscuri, Castor and Pollux dedicated in 6 CE Here the office of weights and measures was situated. The podiums of the temples of Caesar and the Dioscuri were often used as orators' platforms and it is in this part of the Forum that the meetings of the comitia took place. On the far right is the Basilica Julia built by Caesar. Its long façade occupies the entire south side of the Forum. (Owens, 154) Semi-circular in plan and having consisted of a tall stage building, theaters were a semi-circular orchestra and tiered seating area. Unlike Greek theatres, which were built on natural slopes, they were supported by their own framework of piers and vaults and so could be built anywhere and not where nature dictated. Amphitheatres (literally, ‘double theatres’) were elliptical in plan; with a central areana. (Bowra, 38)