Devil and White City
If you like reading about the serial killer who used the magic and majesty of the 1893 World’s Fair Chicago to lure his victims to their death,
By Eric Larson,
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
And if you want to know more about how the Women’s Building at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago changed women’s progress in America,
You’ll love reading Chapter 4, “The Building—of the Future,” in my book The House of My Sojourn.
Chapter 4 is the true tale of the 1893 World’s Columbia Exposition and the “Traveler” who visited the fair and leads me metaphorically on a two-day excursion through it to discover the Women’s Building. The first day I enter the fair proper, called the “White City,” only to find that I am nearly twenty acres away from the Women’s Building. The second day I enter the gate to the Fair’s Midway Plaisance—its amusement park—where I find the Women’s Building next to the “Joy Zone.” The two-day immersion in the sum, scale, and significance of the Women’s Buildings offers a sketch of the emerging prospects and paradoxes on the question of women’s future in politics.
The Women’s Building at the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893 was a major landmark in the history of women’s rights and women’s empowerment. It was the first time that women were given their own separate building at a World’s Fair and was a powerful symbol of the growing movement for women’s equality and independence.
The World’s Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World’s Fair, was held in Chicago in 1893 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas. The exposition was a massive showcase of technology, industry, and culture, and attracted over 27 million visitors from around the world.
Women played a significant role in the planning and execution of the exposition and were also a major part of the visitor experience. Many of the buildings and exhibitions were designed to showcase the contributions of women to society, and several women were appointed to leadership roles in the fair’s organization.
One of the most notable exhibitions was the Women’s Building, which was designed to highlight the accomplishments of women in a variety of fields, including art, literature, and science. The Women’s Building was a symbol of the growing movement for women’s rights and equality and was seen as a way to challenge traditional gender roles and encourage women’s participation in public life.
At the same time, the exposition was also a showcase for the Victorian ideal of womanhood, which emphasized traditional gender roles and emphasized women’s roles as wives and mothers. Many of the exhibits and performances at the fair reinforced these ideas, and women were often depicted as passive and ornamental, rather than as active agents of change.
Despite these conflicting messages, the World’s Columbian Exposition was an important moment in the history of women and gender and helped to shape the ongoing debate about the role of women in society. The exposition was a testament to the growing power and influence of women in the late 19th century and served as a platform for women to assert their rights and push for greater equality and representation.
Women’s Building
The architect of the Women’s Building was Sophia Hayden. Sophia Hayden, an American architect who was one of the few female architects of her time. Hayden is best known for her design of the Women's Building at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois. The Women's Building was one of the few buildings at the exposition that was designed and built specifically to showcase the work and achievements of women.
Hayden was only 21 years old when she won the design competition for the Women's Building, beating out more than 100 other architects, including many well-known and established architects of the time. Her design for the building was influenced by classical and Renaissance architecture, and was described as elegant, harmonious, and well-proportioned.
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Sophia Hayden
Read my book, The House of My Sojourn, to learn more.