also known as the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, was held to celebrate the centennial of the Louisiana Purchase. It ran from April 30 to December 1, 1904 (it opened a year late due to delays in construction), and was at the time the largest World's Fair ever held. The Fair grounds covered 1,272 acres, on which 1,576 buildings and about 75 miles of roads and walkways were constructed. The 1904 Summer Olympics were also held on the Fair grounds. Almost 20 million visitors passed through the Fair gates; it was the only Fair during the Victorian Era to make a profit.

The Fair hosted exhibits by 62 foreign nations, 43 of the then-45 U.S. states and territories (including Guam, the Philippines and Puerto Rico), and hundreds of manufacturers and companies. The exhibits focused on U.S. and world history, athletics, and the latest products and innovations, scientific inventions, and agricultural technology. The amusement area included replicas of "savage" villages next to representations of "civilized" life, the world's largest Ferris wheel (with a capacity of 2,160 riders), Abraham Lincoln's actual log cabin, and an 18-foot-tall lighthouse built entirely of salt. Now-common foods that first became popular because of the Fair included the waffle-style ice cream cone, hamburgers, hot dogs, peanut butter, iced tea, cotton candy, Dr. Pepper, and Puffed Wheat.

Louisiana Purchase
Puerto Rico

1904 World's Fair Society. http://www.1904worldsfairsociety.org
Terry's 1904 World's Fair Page. http://www.tlaupp.com

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This page was last updated on 11/03/2011.