* St. Louis World's Fair 1904








St. Louis World's Fair: Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904)

St. Louis World Fair
Figure 1.--The 1904 St. Louis Worlds Fair celebrated the centenary of the Louiian Purchase. This photograph shows a group of Apache Indians, including Geronimo. They are posed in front of tents at the Native American exhibition.

St. Louis at the turn of the 20th century was the fourth largest American city. It was the site for the second major world's fair held in America. St. Louis was the jumping off point for many of the waggon trains that brought Americans on to the Great Plains and the Pacific west--the lands obtained in the Lousiana Purchase (1803). The St. Louis World's Fair commemorated the centenial of the Louisiana Purchase. The planners missed 1803 because of delays in construction and preparing the exhibitions. The promotrs calle it the "The Greatest of Expositions". It was indeed larger than the Colombian Exposition or any of the Victorian-era world's fairs held in Europe. There were nearly 20 million visitors during the 7 months the Exposition was open. operated. About 60 countries and almost all of the states (there were only 45 at the time) participated. More than 60 countries maintained exhibition spaces at the fair. Historians today tend to focus on the themes of race and empire. The Fair had a major impact study of of architecture, art, anthropology, and history. These and hundreds of manufacturing companies presented a view of civilization, history, arts, and indstry. One of the big hits were the Native Americans, including Geronimo. The preparation for the Exposition was the backdrop for one of the most beloved American movies--Judy Garland's "Meet me in St. Louis" (1944). The film was a needed escapist diversion from the horrors of World War II.







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Created: 1:12 AM 4/21/2017
Last updated: 1:12 AM 4/21/2017