The 1893 Chicago Columbian Exposition

[augusta]

I have always been very interested in the 1893 Chicago World's Fair / Columbian Exposition.

I don't understand why some say that Lizzie Borden attended. I have never seen a source proving it. What have I missed?

[patsy]

Not really proof but there was a short mention in Rebello's book that Lizzie had been attending the fair with Miss Caroline Borden and Miss Alice Buck. Page 187. Right after the part about Lizzie winning a contest.

And then a comment that Caroline was probably related to Lizzie.

[augusta]

Thanks, Patsy. (My mother's nickname was "Patsy", derived from "Patricia".) The contest I remember reading about. I tended to think that was true. I think I read a little more on that, and it gave credence to it. (She didn't accept the prize.)

The other mention, that she did go and with whom was just a little piece in a newspaper. A great find Mr. Rebello had - I'm not criticizing at all. Just think that for such a hot story as that, that was all there was about it. Maybe "Parallel Lives" will talk about it.

Julien (Julian?) Ralph, a famed writer of the day, covered Lizzie's trial. He also wrote one of the most famous booklets on the Fair. I don't know if he ever wrote a piece connecting the two. (Several of his writings can be found in The Lizzie Borden Sourcebook.)

Can you believe ... I went in a used bookstore a few years ago, and the owner had some photo albums that contained old postcards for sale. I saw 2 or 3 authentic ones from that 1893 Exposition. She was selling them for a dollar each. I told her nicely that I think those are originals of the 1893 Chicago Columbian Exposition/World's Fair. And she looked at them. They each had a scene of one of the gondolas on it, and she said, "I don't think so - not with gondolas there." I wasn't positive at the time, but I did buy them. I took them home and compared them to photos of the Fair. Yup.

Recently I flew to Chicago and visited the Museum of Science & Industry. Part of that massive museum is from the original building from the 1893 Fair. That museum is wonderful, btw. I always wanted to see it, way before I was interested in Lizzie. A simply googled search to their website is worth a few minutes' time.

[LizbethTurner]

I have always been very interested in the 1893 Chicago World's Fair / Columbian Exposition.

I don't understand why some say that Lizzie Borden attended. I have never seen a source proving it. What have I missed?

Everyone who was anyone went to the Exposition. It would be interesting to know if Lizzie went.

[patsy]

Parallel Lives does have something about Lizzie and the contest and the fair on Pages 636-640. I haven't read that far yet but skimmed it, and it seems that the reference to Lizzie doing the fair was based on a notice in the Fall River Daily Globe on Oct. 3, 1893 as far as I could determine.

I've checked the archives of the Chicago Tribune to see if there was any mention but with no luck. Maybe there may be something under that possible assumed name that was alluded to in the book, although the Trib doesn't seem to have as much in the database that far back.

[augusta]

Thanks for the page numbers in Parallel Lives, Patsy. I am only on page 3. Veddy, veddy busy lately.

It seems as tho there should have been something more in the press about Lizzie attending. That was not long after she was acquitted, and I would think people would be hungry for news of her.

At the Chicago Fair of 1933, John Dillinger attended. In the past Lizzie Borden Quarterly I mentioned both of them going and no one recognizing either one. I said they must have been Free Days for the blind.

[LizbethTurner]

Thanks for the page numbers in Parallel Lives, Patsy. I am only on page 3. Veddy, veddy busy lately.

It seems as tho there should have been something more in the press about Lizzie attending. That was not long after she was acquitted, and I would think people would be hungry for news of her.

At the Chicago Fair of 1933, John Dillinger attended. In the past Lizzie Borden Quarterly I mentioned both of them going and no one recognizing either one. I said they must have been Free Days for the blind.

So many famous - and infamous - people attended the Exposition and I'm sure most of them were not mentioned in the press. The Expo itself was HUGE and enough copy would have been provided simply by reporting all the attractions. That must have been something to see! Most of the visitors had never been out of their home states. So much of what they saw was absolutely new. Imagine going to the moon - that's probably what the experience was like for most of them.

It seems like the kind of thing anyone who could would have gone to. Transportation to and from the Expo was made very easy for almost anyone, in the form of special rail cars, new rail lines laid, etc. I hate crowds, but I would have gone.

[Allen]

If anyone is interested in learning about what went into the building of the 1893 Chicago Expo, and have a little true crime thrown in, read Devil in The White City by Erik Larson. I found it so interesting I've read it quite a few times so far. There is extensive information about who built it, what went into putting it all together, and the attractions it offered. One of the attractions was the first ever Ferris Wheel, which was invented just for the Expo. It was built,believe it or not,to rival to the Eiffel Tower as an attraction at one of the earlier Expo's. They believe H.H. Holmes actually preyed on people coming to Chicago to visit the Expo, and is known to have visited it himself with one of his known victims. He built his own personal chamber of horrors and rented out rooms in it to unsuspecting people, possibly fair goer's.

[augusta]

Yes, I agree. It was a great thing. And with Lizzie liking adventure and fun, I don't see how she could resist it.

It is fascinating how it was built, and all the things they had there for the first time anywhere.

When I visited its location recently, I had just missed this most awesome extra they had done. They took people on a tour and they say that when you took it, you felt like you were attending that 1893 one. Aaugggh! I will watch for that again.

I have the Erik Larson book but have not gotten around to reading it. Coincidentally, tho, I am reading "Depraved" - the story of HH Holmes. In that book, the author says they figure he probably killed about 50 fairgoers. Surprisingly, his story does not stop in Chicago. I won't ruin it for anyone. Good stuff. And I have only read real good reviews on Erik Larson's book. That says something if you read it a few times, Allen. (BTW, I meant to tell you your photo on here is beautiful!)

[Allen]

Thank you Augusta Yes the book is very interesting! I almost can't put it down once I start reading it.

[Albanyguy]

So many famous - and infamous - people attended the Exposition and I'm sure most of them were not mentioned in the press.

Perhaps Lizzie traveled to the Fair under an assumed name. Railroad conductors, hotel clerks and reporters covering the Fair would have no reason to connect an ordinary-looking "Miss Smith" with the notorious accused killer in the recent headlines. And her face wouldn't have been generally recognizable, since no one in Chicago would have seen a photograph of her. All they would have to go on would be the pen-and-ink newspaper drawings of her, which Lizzie herself found laughably bad likenesses.

[augusta]

Oh, that's true, isn't it - Lizzie's actual photograph was not in the paper! Just those (most of the time) awful sketches of her. Thanks for the insight, Albanyguy. And she could have used a pseudonym. (I sure would have...) I don't think there's a sketch that really looks like her - well, maybe one.

Can you imagine if she went to check in to HH Holmes' rooms for rent (and used her real name)?

I think I read that Thomas Edison went there.

There's a great DVD on the fair I got on Amazon a few years ago. It's narrated by Gene Wilder and it's very good. By jove, I think I'll try to find it and watch it again now. It is still for sale on Amazon. It's called "Expo - Magic of the White City" and is selling for $14.95 (I paid about $20 for mine). Renting it is $2.99, but there is so much info in it, myself I would rather buy it.

"H H Holmes: America's First Serial Killer" came up on my Amazon search as well. That's selling for $9.99 or renting for $1.99. It was (maybe still is) available to watch free on pbs.org.

[Allen]

Thanks for the heads up on the DVD augusta. I will have to look for that I'd be really interested to see that.I think it would have been very easy for someone to get lost in the crowd at the expo without ever using a fake name. There were thousands and thousands of people who attended during it's run. If it was a matter of giving a name for registration at hotel accommodation, she may have just signed in under the name of one of the people traveling with her.

[patsy]

Yes thank you for the heads up about the DVD, Augusta. I may try to get it soon. I do have The Devil in White City and a couple of other books that discuss H.H. Holmes. I guess some might think that if Lizzie did rent a room from him we may have learned that he had died from hatchet wounds. Sorry couldn't resist and actually I am one who leans toward someone other than Lizzie killing the Bordens so I shouldn't have said that.

I grew up in Chicago and made many visits to the Museum of Science and Industry. It is a must see and no one ever seems to be disappointed after they've been there. Chicago also has a History museum and the fabulous Art Institute too.