A Letter from the White City

Source A: Marta's Letter, July 8, 1893

Dear Tomas,
Today Aunt Rosa and I entered the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. It is a huge fair in Jackson Park. People have come from many places to see the buildings and exhibits.

We began at the Transportation Building, where we saw machines and models connected with travel. Then we walked south to the Agricultural Building. There were displays about farm tools, foods, and crops. I had never seen so many things gathered in one place.

Near the center of the fair, we visited the Court of Honor. Its bright buildings and large pool made the place seem grand. After supper, we went west to the Midway Plaisance and rode the great wheel. The great wheel was my favorite part!

From high above the fair, I could see Lake Michigan to the east. When evening came, electric lights shone on the buildings. I wish you could have been here to see it all.
Your cousin,
Marta

Source B: A Historian's Note

The World's Columbian Exposition opened in Chicago on May 1, 1893, and closed on October 30 of that year. Organizers held it to mark four hundred years since Christopher Columbus's 1492 voyage. The fair included exhibits from many states and countries.

The main buildings were painted white, so many people called the fair the White City, but most of them were temporary. Most were gone within a few years after the exposition ended. The fair also included the Midway Plaisance, where visitors could see amusements and displays, including the Ferris wheel. The exposition showed visitors new machines, farm ideas, transportation, and other subjects.

Source C: Visitor Map of the Fairgrounds

A visitor map of the fairgrounds shows Lake Michigan along the east edge. The Court of Honor is near the center. The Transportation Building is north of the Court of Honor, and the Agricultural Building is south of it. The Midway Plaisance stretches west from the west edge of the fairgrounds. The Ferris wheel stands on the Midway Plaisance.