Columbian Exposition Machinery Hall 1893 and 50 similar items

Antique one-sided embossed photogravure depicting a scene of the exterior of Machinery Hall from the Columbian Exposition. The caption tells us this is a "view from the southwest corner of the Manufacturers and Liberal Arts Building showing the Columbian Fountain on the right and the Colonade and Obelisk on the left." The World's Columbian Exposition was a world's fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Published on heavyweight paper by D. Appleton Co., New York. Full size measures approximately 12.5 x 16.75. Recommended framing area including image, artist/title, and embossed inner white border (that portion of the border that would normally be visible after framing or matting) measures approximately 14 x 11.5. Condition: Print is in very good condition aside from a moisture stain along the left edge and some very light age browning of white border along edges entirely outside the recommended framing area. There are no pin holes or tape marks anywhere on this antique print. Comments: During the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, Machinery Hall was located at Jackson Park. Boston architectural firm Peabody and Stearns designed Machinery Hall, also known as the Palace of Mechanical A. It was 846 feet long and 492 feet wide, and its floor space exceeded 23 acres. There were hundreds of American and foreign exhibits on display, which included "tools and machines to build America's schools, railroads, bridges, street trolleys, and factories, as well as the utilities for clean water, sewerage removal, and power." Visitors also saw machinery used to make textiles, shoes, and hats, to fight fires, and to cut wood. Also on display were sewing machines, parlor stoves, kitchen ranges, pianos, magazines, books, and newspapers. The fair's power plant was also inside machinery hall. Sixty steam engines generated the 24,000 horsepower of electricity to run the machinery at the fair.