The World’s Columbian Exposition was held in 1893 in Chicago to mark the 400th anniversary since Christopher Columbus arrived in the New World. The main attraction of the expo was a large water pool that symbolized Columbus’s journey in 1492. Chicago was honored to host the fair over other competing cities such as St. Louis, New York City, and Washington DC. It was a celebrated cultural and social event that showcased various aspects, including sanitation, American industrial optimism, architecture, and Chicago’s self-image. It featured about 200 buildings on 2.8 km square grounds (Everyday). The World’sColumbian Exposition in Chicago led by innovators like George Washington Ferris had positive and far-reaching outcomes in world fairs.
The buildings were dominated by a neoclassical architecture theme, including lagoons, canals, and people. It had the scale and grandeur that had never been seen in other world-famous expos. It symbolized the sprouting American Exceptionalism comparable to the Great Exhibition in the UK, representing the Victorian era. Moreover, it recognized the 400th anniversary since Europeans discovered the New World. It also symbolized Chicago’s resurrection from the Great Chicago Fire ravages that occurred in 1871.
George Washington Ferris was an American engineer and inventor known for the invention of the Ferris Wheel. He specialized in building bridges when he was in the railroad industry. After the initial rejection of his idea to construct the Wheel, he was finally allowed to do so after convincing critical stakeholders about the viability of his project. The planning committee thought the project was costly and dangerous to undertake. However, Ferris managed to lobby for its construction and even sought funding for the project from external donors. It was an observation wheel to provide an aerial view of the city to visitors of the fair. The fair director wanted a unique, daring, and original structure to be constructed to make an immediate impression. The Wheel was constructed at the fair and became the largest steel structure made in the US which was used by about 1.5 million people at the expo (“Home”). Various amusement parks soon adopted the idea and constructed replicas of the Wheel at their sites.
The World’s Columbian Exposition had positive and far-reaching outcomes, especially for the organization of world fairs. Although it was the second exposition of the many fairs held in the United States, it set a good precedence for other succeeding fairs by setting high standards that endowed it with a long-lasting legacy. Its positive influence could be seen at other succeeding fairs in Saint Louis and Pan-Pacific expositions. The St. Louis exposition held in 1901 borrowed heavily from the cultural theme introduced at the World’s Columbian Exposition (Sawe). Its presence was felt at the Pan-Pacific Exposition of 1915, featuring many exhibits debuted at the Columbian exposition, such as the Ferris Wheel and the DC/AC electricity.
In summary, the World’s Columbian Exposition should be regarded as a pacesetting event that uniquely and positively portrays society’s social and cultural aspects. It revolutionized the way expositions are held and drew attention to the significance of such fairs to society’s socio-economic and political developments. George Washington Ferris despite being in th railroadindustry impacted Chicago’s architecture and image through his designs. Pivital among these was the Ferris Wheel, which stands as a great landmark and testament to it’s inventors’ tenacity.
Works Cited
Everyday, Vintage. “40 Amazing Photos of the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893.”Vintage News Daily, 2022.
“Home.” FAMOUS INVENTORS. Web.
Sawe, Benjamin Elisha. “The World’s Columbian Exposition of Chicago.”WorldAtlas, 2017.