Greater America Exposition
Grand Court with red brick walkways
Overview
BIE-classUnrecognized exposition
NameGreater America Exposition
Visitors845,000
Organized byGeorge Miller
Location
CountryUnited States of America
CityOmaha
VenueKountze Park
Coordinates41°17′29″N 95°56′21″W / 41.2914798°N 95.9391403°W / 41.2914798; -95.9391403
Timeline
OpeningJuly 1, 1899
ClosureOctober 31, 1899

The Greater America Exposition was a world's fair held on North Omaha, Nebraska from July 1 to October 31, 1899.[1]

Formation

After the 1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition exhibition a group of investors decided to retain some of the buildings and hold a second season at Kountze Park in 1899 with a new theme.[2] President McKinley expressed support for the exhibition as an opportunity to show America's new colonial possessions following the Spanish–American War.[2]

Grounds

The grounds were refurbished with 500 staff patching and painting buildings and replanting flower beds.[1] And the concrete walkways were replaced by red brick ones.[1]

Buildings

There were agriculture,[3] apiary,[4] colonial exhibits,[5] dairy,[6] fine arts and liberal arts,[7] horticulture,[8] international,[9] manufactures,[10] and mines and mining,[11] buildings, a machinery hall,[12] a 520 by 150 feet United States pavilion,[13] and auxiliary buildings including press, fire, police and a hospital.[14]

New possessions

One March 18, 1899 the government agreed to transport agents to fetch exhibits from Cuba, Hawaii, the Philippines and Porto Rico.[2]

60 tubs of Hawaiian plants were destroyed when customs officials dumped the Hawaiian shipment,[2] and a second Hawaiian shipment went missing between San Francisco and Omaha.[2] After the exhibition some of the Hawaiian exhibits were sent to a forthcoming Paris exhibition.[2]

The Cuban village included over 700 snakes, a garrotte and the hangman Valentine Ruiz.[2]

The Philippines had planned to include monkeys, native birds and four water buffaloes. Six water buffaloes were shipped though only two water buffaloes arrived in Omaha.[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Sasse (9 October 2015). "A History of the 1899 Greater America Exposition in North Omaha – North Omaha History". Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "1899 Greater America Expo Notes". Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  3. ^ Greater America Exposition: Map of Grounds, Diagram of Buildings. July 1, 1899. p. 8–9.
  4. ^ Greater America Exposition: Map of Grounds, Diagram of Buildings. July 1, 1899. p. 30.
  5. ^ Greater America Exposition: Map of Grounds, Diagram of Buildings. July 1, 1899. pp. 23–25.
  6. ^ Greater America Exposition: Map of Grounds, Diagram of Buildings. July 1, 1899. p. 22.
  7. ^ Greater America Exposition: Map of Grounds, Diagram of Buildings. July 1, 1899. pp. 26–27.
  8. ^ Greater America Exposition: Map of Grounds, Diagram of Buildings. July 1, 1899. pp. 28–29.
  9. ^ Greater America Exposition: Map of Grounds, Diagram of Buildings. July 1, 1899. p. 10.
  10. ^ Greater America Exposition: Map of Grounds, Diagram of Buildings. July 1, 1899. pp. 11–13.
  11. ^ Greater America Exposition: Map of Grounds, Diagram of Buildings. July 1, 1899. pp. 19–21.
  12. ^ Greater America Exposition: Map of Grounds, Diagram of Buildings. July 1, 1899. pp. 14–15.
  13. ^ Greater America Exposition: Map of Grounds, Diagram of Buildings. July 1, 1899. p. 6.
  14. ^ Greater America Exposition: Map of Grounds, Diagram of Buildings. July 1, 1899. p. 18.

External links

List of world's fairs in the United States
Categories