The Chicago World's Fair of 1893: A Photographic Record

by Stanley Appelbaum (editor)

Originally conceived to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Columbus's discovery of America, the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 was one of the largest (633 acres) and most influential aggregations of human talent, energy, and industry ever assembled. More than 27 million visitors entered the grounds (now Jackson Park) to marvel at the exhibits and displays housed in some 200 buildings, including those of 79 foreign governments and 38 states. Although the Fair had its share of "firsts" (original Ferris wheel, first midway, Edison's kinetoscope, etc.), its chief marvel was its architecture. It is that aspect which is emphasized in this striking photographic record. Beginning with an overview of the fair's planning and conceptual stages, Stanley Appelbaum's well-researched text then proceeds to a fascinating discussion of the personalities, regional rivalries, and intense controversy surrounding the Beaux-Arts architecture (the "White City" style) of the fair, including its enormous impact on subsequent American architecture. The contributions of such outstanding architects and firms as R. M. Hunt; McKim, Mead and White; Frederick Law Olmsted; and Peabody and Stearns are described. The book then becomes a building-by-building walking tour of the fair — imaginatively reconstructed with the help of 128 sharply reproduced rare contemporary photographs, printed on fine coated stock, and a concise, fact-filled text. The placid basins, ponds, and Lagoon that graced the fairgrounds lend a serene aura to these priceless views of the great buildings and sights of the the Beaux-Arts glories of the Administration and Agriculture Buildings; Daniel Chester French's statue of the Republic; the Columbian Fountain by Frederick MacMonnies; the Golden Door of Louis Sullivan's Transportation Building; the Peristyle; Mary Cassatt's mural in the Woman's Building; the pure classicism of the Palace of Fine Arts (now the Museum of Science and Industry); numerous state and foreign pavilions, and of course, the Midway — the first separate amusement area at a World's Fair, and the reputed location of Little Egypt's celebrated danse du ventre. In the concluding section, the author touches on other memorable aspects of the fair and its the Panic of 1893; the Pullman Strike; famous visitors (Archduke Ferdinand, the Spanish Infanta, etc.); cultural and social congresses, and finally, the disastrous fires that ultimately destroyed many of the buildings. For social and cultural historians, Chicagoans, and anyone interested in the special magic of a world's fair, this book is a loving and nostalgic look back — to a time bathed in the golden light of the fin-de-siècle years, when a colossal spectacle of human achievement in art, science, and industry captured the world's attention for one magic and unforgettable moment.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Photography, Architecture, Art, American History, Reference

274 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 1980

Reviews

[Evan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am curious to know. Where would your trusty time machine take you, if you could turn its brass-plated dials to a particular day, month and year of the past? Would you want to go to Rome 100 B.C. and watch the bloody gladiatorial battles? Or watch the D-Day Invasion in 1944 from a ship in the English Channel? Or see the Coronation of Catherine the Great? Or witness the assassination of Lincoln or Archduke Ferdinand? Or see the Ziegfeld Follies on Broadway in 1915? Or perch atop a hill a mile from Gettysburg and watch the slaughter? Or share a drink with Hemingway or Dostoevsky? Or watch the tea crates tossed overboard in Boston Harbor in 1773? Or watch the Globe Theatre's first performance of Hamlet, and maybe even catch a glimpse of Shakespeare himself? Or walk through the lost library of Alexandria? Or spy Jesus and the disciples at Gesthemane?

Any one of these would be a tantalizing. I've always thought my time machine would take me to witness the somewhat less dangerous and placid charms of the spectacular, sprawling World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, better known as the Chicago World's Fair of 1893.

Long before Erik Larson's Devil in the White City was published in 2002, I had been obsessed by the mammoth exhibition and its gleaming Utopian 'White City," built on sketchy land by Lake Michigan south of downtown Chicago -- a blinding vision of architectural purity and promise standing in stark contrast to the filthy industrial city surrounding it.

The fair was an homage to the past, a summation of human achievement up to its time, a display of the industrial might of the 19th century, and a forward-looking vision of a better 20th-century. The fair celebrated the material promise of science and corporate-retail commerce. The fair was naive, but it was bold, and it bespoke the confidence of the captains of progress and the faith of the people of its time.

Apart from a few small monuments, nothing exists of the fair. Most of it succumbed to the elements or was razed shortly thereafter. How beautiful it would have been to have walked the reflective pool at night as the domed Administration Building flooded the air all around with glowing whiteness cast from the brand new Edison electric lights, or to have ridden on the world's first (huge) Ferris Wheel or wondered at the steampunk marvels in the cavernous Manufacturers Building, or caught a glimpse of Annie Oakley shooting it up in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show -- chewing the brand new Juicy Fruit gum (which I still chew) as you strolled along the environs and promenade.

This book is a fantastic and beautifully printed photographic record of the amazing buildings, exhibits and vast vistas of this breathtaking event. The text is functional, full of facts but not particularly scintillating. It is definitely a handy supplemental work to Larson's book, but also a stand-alone treat if you just want to whisk yourself back into time and get lost in its images.

This is just another reminder that books are our time machines.

(KR@KY 2016)

[Isaac Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read Devil in the White City several times (I taught it to my high school students) and loved it every time. My wife, noting how often I spouted off random facts about the Fair, got my this book for Father's Day. Although it's mainly meant to be a coffee table book, I read it cover to cover. The 1893 Chicago World's Fair is probably the only historical event that I am truly upset that I didn't get to experience. We just haven't really created anything like it since (imagine if EPCOT was 20-30 times bigger).

This book was great because a lot of the pictures found in this book aren't on the internet. (I know that sounds impossible, but I have wasted so many prep periods at school trying to find unique pictures of the Fair. I swear. All White City websites just show the same batch of photos)

This book simultaneously warms my heart while filling me with envious, covetous rage. I love it.

[Timothy Grubbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book. Obviously a it's very specific so it might not appeal to everyone.

I consider this a good resource for anyone interested in the 1893 Chicago worlds fair.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buy it for the photos, not for the text. Some of the general background on the competing architects and styles is informative, but it is largely bland.

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is fine. largely architectural based. photos i wish were printed in better quality with text that could have been more compelling.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well researched work with staid, almost boring prose. Read it for the pictures and the extensive bibliography, where you can find better books on the topic.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe too much discussion on architecture, but the photos are interesting

[Garrett · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish it talked more about what was at the fair instead of just parroting reviews of the architecture. The pictures were nice the book was not

[Autum · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not a huge nonfiction reader but I’ve been interested in learning more about the 1893 World’s Fair for a while so I picked up this book. I enjoyed learning about the exhibitions, buildings, events, and activities in midway. I wanted a perspective on what the fair had to offer its visitors and I walked away from this book with a better one than I had. I wanted this perspective in more detail, my issue with this book is that it only seemed to elaborated on architecture. For pages at time the only information seemed to be the names of architects, the location of their education, their city of origin, the architecture style of the buildings they designed, and the opinions of others on that architecture. It’s not that I’m not interested in learning about architecture, it’s that this formula was very unengaging and unapproachable if you didn’t already know a lot about architecture. So in spite of this books excessive focus on architecture I can’t really say I learned anything about it. I was just told a lot I didn’t understand, and then forgot it.

[Gwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend left this at my house and I just expected to look at the pictures in the book so that I could get a better perspective on the buildings of the 1893 Columbian Exposition after reading Devil in the White City. I did get that out of the book, but out found the commentary to be the great draw-back to the book. Granted, it was published nearly 30 years ago be a easterner, but I found the the commentary to be biased against ANY design that did not come off a drafting table in New York City. Based on what I learned in this book, I would be suprised to think that anyone would believe that any of the buildings had any redeeming qualities.
What I found most interesting was that the author didn't think that the buildings were of poor design because they were of the Neoclassical tradition. He only had one brief paragraph on the lasting effects of the archatecture of the Fair for the next 80 years and how it had in the words of Frank Lloyd Wright, "Set it back."
I loved seeing all the pictures though, but would have liked more of a balanced commentary.

[Jeff Crosby · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unofficial pictorial companion, in many ways, to Erik Larson's best-seller "The Devil in the White City," this photographic record of the 1893 Columbian Exposition/Chicago World's Fair shows the development of Jackson Park near Chicago, where the fair was built out of nothing in a very short amount of time, against numerous obstacles. The images of this temporary "city" are quite stunning, and answered a number of questions I had as I read through Larson's work of history. Appelbaum's essays are well-done, as well.

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful collection of photographs, many rare, taken for and during the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. These visuals were drawn from the collections at the Avery Library of Columbia University and the Chicago Historical Society. This short work is first and foremost a picture book, but there is some textual commentary supplied by Stanley Appelbaum.

[Gwern · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the other reviews say: worth it for the photographs, not so much the commentary. Some might be a little disappointed by the focus on the neo-classical prestige buildings and not parts us moderns would find of vastly more interest, like the first Ferris wheel, the first Japanese building in the US, Wild Bill's show, etc, but it's still much better than nothing.

[Aubrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this book because I was reading Devil In The White City. Wanted to see the layout and pics of what the heck the author was talking about regarding the Chicago World's Fair (CWF).
It served just this purpose.
I skimmed the text but really it was more of a point-of-reference book for the pictures.

I would totally recommend this for anyone wanting to get a greater pictorial sense of the CWF.

[CD · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just was reminded by a 'goodreads friend' about this work. Now I need to figure out in what safe place I stashed it. Or it is in one of 'the boxes'.

I'll eventually add a different review obviously!!

[Ada Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful accompaniment to Larson's, Devil in the White City, this book has beautiful images and information about the buildings, architecture, and designers that went into making up the Chicago World's Fair of 1893.

Sad to think that all of buildings are gone!

[Jenny Belardi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing is pretty boring and academic but this book is all about the photos - over 100 gorgeous, rare pictures of the fair. Since I'm a geek and love the history of the fair, I really enjoyed this.

[TrumanCoyote · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this one is pretty tedious--not anywhere near as interesting as Appelbaum's account of the 1939/40 World's Fair. All we ever seem to hear about is architecture--and it's some pretty tedious architecture at that (sterile and derivative evocations of a long-gone era).

[Kristen]

This is a great accompaniment to Devil in the White City because of all the photographs.

[Joe Brunory · Rating 5 out of 5]

An in depth look at the fair... great detail.

[David Eppenstein · Rating 3 out of 5]

A delightfully illustrated history of Chicago's 1893 World's Fair.

[Bam cooks the books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed seeing the photos of the White City buildings after reading The Devil in the White City.