Court of Honor / The White City

The Court of Honor gave a breathtaking view of the 1893 World's Fair. It was the combination of the brilliant white buildings along with the astounding nighttime illumination that gave this Fair its nickname, "The White City." Used for the first time, and testing the concept of alternating currents, incandescent bulbs outlined each building and walkway. It is stated that this exposition used three times the amount of electricity as the entire city of Chicago. One visitor commented, "As the light was fading from the sky, millions of lights were suddenly flashed on..., this was like getting a sudden vision of heaven." This ethereal, almost magical, spectacle was also witnessed by millions, including Walt Disney (whose father helped to construct the Fair) and by L. Frank Baum, author of "The Wizard of Oz." One can only imagine how the Fair influenced and inspired the minds of its visitors.