The 1893 World's Fair / MacMonnies Fountain

The World's Columbian Exposition, held in Chicago in 1893, was the last and the greatest of the nineteenth century's World's Fairs. Staged to honor the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's voyages (though it missed by one year because of difficulties lining up exhibitors in 1892) the event became a celebration of American individualism, determination, exploration and experimentation. Sculpted by Frederick MacMonnies, the exposition's centerpiece was the Columbian Fountain in the Grand Basin, which was surrounded by the classical Court of Honor buildings. All the buildings were covered with "staff," or stucco, giving them a magnificent whiteness that dazzled visitors who arrived at the rail terminal just outside the fair's gates. This stunning visual gave rise to the nickname "the White City," for which the 1893 World's Fair will forever be remembered.