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FACTS
1904
The Louisiana Purchase increased the size of the United
States with the addition of Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri,
Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado
and Indiana Territory.
The official name of the 1904 World's Fair was the
Louisiana Purchase International Exposition.
St. Louis Mayor Rolla Wells (Democrat) supported a
world's fair and worked used the theme "New St. Louis."
David R. Francis, president of the World's Fair
Commission, began his work by trying to get the Columbian
Exposition in St. Louis, but lost to Chicago, Illinois.
The St. Louis World's Fair emphasized the latest
technology in all exhibits.
Forest Park (western end) and other leased land was
chosen as the site for the fair because the land was
centrally located from both north and south St. Louis.
Forest Park was a 40 minute carriage ride from downtown
St. Louis.
St. Louis added 450 new streetcars to the transportation
system to take people to the Fair.
The admission cost to the Fair was fifty cents.
Opening day at the Fair the attendance was 200,000
people.
The ice cream cone became very popular at the 1904 Fair.
The waffle cone mold machine was patented in 1903.
Buildings at the Fair were built to be temporary
buildings. They were made of ivory colored staff (a mixture
of plaster of paris and Manila fiber).
The Fine Arts Building was the only one that was made
permanent. This building is used in 1999 as the St. Louis
Art Museum.
The Pike, amusement and concession area, was 1 1/2 miles
long. The Pike had camel rides, Geisha Girls, Tyrolean Alps,
Alpine railroad, and burro rides.
Washington University, in 1999 sits outside the western
end of Forest Park, provided the administration building for
the Fair (Brookings Hall) and a field (Francis Field) for
the Olympic Events.
The Fair's "Palace Of Agriculture" covered 24 acres.
The giant Ferris wheel was first used in Chicago,
Illinois, exposition. The Observation Wheel carried riders
260 feet in the air for a good view of the Fair.
The Grand Basin was the main place for important events.
Total attendance at the Fair was possibly 19,694,855
people.
The Fair was a financial success. Profits allowed new
buildings to be built within Forest Park, bronze the statue
of St. Louis and made it permanent, cleaned up the park, and
paid off the Fair's debts.
Different types of boats provided transportation for
visitors. The boats took them for rides through the lakes,
rivers and lagoons.
Electricity made the nights shine with colored lights
that lined the buildings.
The Inside Inn built by the fairgrounds provided 2257
rooms for 5500 persons.
Festive Hall built on the top of Art Hill had a big
auditorium seating 3000 people and side buildings with two
big restaurants. Water flowed from the front of the building
down the hill into the Grand Basin.
In December, 1904 when the Fair ended, the Ferris wheel
was taken down and part of it was buried in Forest Park. The
other buildings were also taken down.
The Plateau of States had different buildings
representing states The State of Maine built a Hunting Lodge
for visitors built with wood imported from home (Maine).
The Fair opened on April 30, 1904, when President
Theodore Roosevelt flipped a telegraphic switch in
Washington, D.C.
On December 02, 1905, when workers started taking down
the buildings of the Fair, people paid 25 cents to watch.
There was a huge floral map of the United States on a
hill.
Eight exhibition palaces were built around the Grand
Basin. Each was built a little different, but all of them
followed guidelines set by the Fair designers. The Palace of
Transportation covered 15 acres.
Some of the buildings were moved to other places outside
Forest Park.
The Bird Cage was left by the Smithsonian Institute and
remains today in the same place.
Everyone considered the Fair a huge success. The Fair was
profitable and gave St. Louis many visitors both from
foreign countries and the United States.
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FACTS
1999 - 2004
The history of St. Louis continues celebrating the fourth
year of each century. 1804 - The St. Louis area celebrated
the Louisiana Purchase. 1904 - The St. Louis area celebrated
the St. Louis World's Fair and Olympics. 2004 - The St.
Louis area will celebrate the accomplishments of "St. Louis
2004."
"St. Louis 2004" is a non profit organization working
with citizens to improve the St. Louis region.
"St. Louis 2004" is a plan to celebrate the bicentennial
of the Louisiana Purchase signing and centennial of the
Louisiana Purchase Exhibition (St. Louis 1904 World's Fair).
Al Kerth of the company Fleishman - Hillard International
was the person who dreamed up the concept for "St. Louis
2004."
Former U.S. Senator John Danforth is chairman of "St.
Louis 2004."
Supporting "St. Louis 2004" is former St. Louis Cardinal
ball player, Stan Musial. Mr. Musial is seeking members for
the "St. Louis Heroes."
St. Louis Gateway Arch (theaters and museum) is the
nation's tallest monument. Many people feel that this
monument has replaced the statue of St. Louis as the symbol
of the St. Louis area.
St. Louis, central city of the region, is the 34th
largest in the country.
St. Louis City adjoins St. Louis County, but is
independent of St. Louis County.
There are other counties in Missouri that are part of the
St. Louis Region (St. Louis County, St. Charles, Warren,
Lincoln, Jefferson and Franklin.
Counties in Illinois that are part of the region are St.
Clair, Madison, Monroe, Clinton and Jersey.
Forest Park, area of the 1904 World's Fair, is home to
St. Louis' cultural and research institutions ( Missouri
History Museum, Science Center. the Muny, the Jewel Box, Art
Museum, and the famous St. Louis Zoo).
Forest Park is currently being remodeled with new
bridges, buildings, streets, rivers and lakes.
The World's Fair Pavilion (located in Forest Park) built
with the Fair's profits has been recently remodeled with
private funds.
The 1999 season for The Muny (Forest Park) begins in
June. Season shows are Grease, The King and I, Annie, 1776,
Anything Goes, and Meet Me In St. Louis.
The site of the History Museum and Jefferson Memorial,
sits at the original main entrance to the World's Fair.
There were nine entrance gates.
Faust County Park, St. Louis County, has the restored
Dentzel carousel and Butterfly House.
Museum Transportation, St. Louis County, has over 300
pieces of locomotives, cars, automobiles, streetcars, buses
and aircraft.
City Museum, St. Louis City, is the new exciting museum
for children and adults.
St. Louis is home to different sporting events: baseball,
football, and ice hockey teams.
The St. Louis Symphony is world famous all over the
world.
St. Louis is one of the nation's major health care
centers.
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