ABSTRACT
The World Exposition held in Chicago in 1893 holds a special place in the
annals of American history. The first exposition held in the American West, its
planning and exhibits represented not only a certain coming-of-age for the
country, hosting an exposition that aimed to match that of Paris in size and
grandeur, but it also represented the moment when Chicago took its place
among the other cities of the United States. In the eyes of its supporters, the
planning and organization evident throughout the spectacular year-long event
was proof that Chicago was no longer a western ‘boom town’, but a city with
a cultured and civilized citizenry.
