On This Day

First Ferris wheel opens at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois

The World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, was a world's fair held in Chicago from May 1 to October 31, 1893, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher...

The World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, was a world's fair held in Chicago from May 1 to October 31, 1893, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. The centerpiece of the Fair, held in Jackson Park, was a large water pool representing the voyage that Columbus took to the New World. Chicago won the right to host the fair over several competing cities, including New York City, Washington, D.C., and St. Louis. The exposition was an influential social and cultural event and had a profound effect on American architecture, the arts, American industrial optimism, and Chicago's image.

Historical Significance

The World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, was a world's fair held in Chicago from May 1 to October 31, 1893, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492.

Events Before

  1. Ellis Island opens as a US immigration inspection station and becomes the gateway to the United States for more than 12

    Ellis Island opens as a US immigration inspection station and becomes the gateway to the United States for more than 12 million people

  2. Manuel Roxas is born

    Manuel Roxas is born

  3. Painter Paul Gauguin marries Teha'amana, a 13-year-old Tahitian girl

    Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin was a French painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramist, and writer, whose work has been primarily associated with the Post-Impressionist and Symbolist movements.

  4. The rules of basketball are first published in Triangle magazine, written by James Naismith

    The rules of basketball are first published in Triangle magazine, written by James Naismith

  5. The Coca-Cola Company is incorporated in Atlanta, Georgia

    The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational corporation founded in 1892 headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Events After

  1. Denmark adopts Central European Time

    Central European Time (CET) is a standard time observed in Central as well as parts of Western and Southeast Europe, which is one hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

  2. William Kennedy Dickson captures "Fred Ott's Sneeze" as a motion picture at Thomas Edison's Black Maria Studio in West O

    William Kennedy Dickson captures "Fred Ott's Sneeze" as a motion picture at Thomas Edison's Black Maria Studio in West Orange, New Jersey [1]

  3. 1st college basketball game, University of Chicago beats Chicago YMCA 19-11

    1st college basketball game, University of Chicago beats Chicago YMCA 19-11

  4. J. L. Johnstone of England invents the starting gate for horse racing

    J. L. Johnstone of England invents the starting gate for horse racing

  5. Jules Massenet's opera "Thaïs" premieres in Paris, includes piece “Méditation” for violin and orchestra

    "Méditation" (pronounced [meditasjɔ̃]) is a symphonic intermezzo from the opera Thaïs by French composer Jules Massenet. The piece is written for solo violin, orchestra and backstage chorus.

More from the 1890s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on June 21, 1893?
The World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, was a world's fair held in Chicago from May 1 to October 31, 1893, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. The centerpiece of the Fair, held in Jackson Park, was a large water pool representing the voyage that Columbus took to the New World. Chicago won the right to host the fair over several competing cities, including New York City, Washington, D.C., and St.
Why is First Ferris wheel opens at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois significant?
The World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, was a world's fair held in Chicago from May 1 to October 31, 1893, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492.

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