Chicago's Fair History

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The World’s fair were once an event housing thousands of people where a country could show off all of its technological advances and industrial masterpieces. People can to see the culture and the landscape of places. The 1889 World’s Fair in Paris, France saw a dazzling centerpiece that has come to stand as a symbol of not only the Fair but also France itself. The fairs were not only a source of acclaim and a way to show off, they were also a way to make money for their respective countries and cities. One of the greatest examples of that was one that took place in Chicago. With its stunning attractions and architecture, the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago far exceeded its predecessors and became a representation of American exceptionalism. It…show more content…
The fair celebrated the 400 year celebration of Columbus’s arrival to America in 1942. It’s centerpiece was a large waterpool that represented Columbus’s journey to find the New World. Chicago, St. Louis, New York and Washington, D.C. all submitted bids to host the fair but eventually it was narrowed down to Chicago and New York. Many of the biggest financial giants from both cities pledged to financially aid the fair if it were held in their city, but it when the president of one of the largest banks in the Midwest, Lyman Gage, arranged for millions more in financing that the U.S. Congress chose Chicago to hold the event (Maranzani, 2013). The backers in Chicago eventually began to argue about its location, those with downtown interests favoring a downtown location but they had problems with traffic and an inability to secure a location. The fair was eventually settled on Jackson Park, a marshy bog located on Chicago’s south side (Rydell,…show more content…
The very first one was in 1851, London’s Crystal Palace Exhibition, which showed the world their wealth and power as well as inspiring its contemporaries to do the same (Rydell, 2005). The fair’s directors wanted to rival the Eiffel Tower, which was erected as an archway to the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris, france. The exposition's director of works, Daniel Burnham gave his team only one directive, “Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood.” (Austin, 2015). That was the idea behind the 264 foot Ferris Wheel, which was invented by George Washington Gale Ferris Jr.. Burnham originally balked at the idea of the wheel, calling it “too fragile” but he eventually came around to it (Malanowski, 2015). There had been a lot of money raised by private investors and the U.S. government through sales of coins and stamps, including a half dollar featuring Columbus and a quarter featuring Queen Isabella of Spain that was the first U.S. coin to feature a woman. The ride cost 50¢, double the price of admission to the fair, and had 36 cars with as many 60 to each so it could fit 2,160 riders (Maranzani,

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