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Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904

The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, commonly known as the Saint Louis World's Fair of 1904, was the last great international exposition before World War I. The fair, built on a 1,200 acre site, included hundreds of thousands of objects, people, animals, displays, and publications from 62 exhibiting countries and 43 of the 45 states. The setting of world records, such as the largest organ, and working displays of every important technological advance were significant design goals. The Fair was a combination of trade show, civic showpiece, and monument to culture, along with more than a tinge of American pride. The Fair showcased the grandiose ambition of the gilded age, forming a kind of collective tribute to the nineteenth century's international understanding of the furtherance of peace, prosperity, and progress. It's a grand snapshot in time of American and foreign societies as they wished to portray themselves.

Vice Commissioner General Wong Kai Kah receiving site of Chinese Imperial Pavilion from President Francis

1901

1901

1905

1905

953 Media in collection ∙ page 1 of 10

Administration Bldg. of the Great St. Louis World's Fair of 1904.

Varied Industries Bldg., St. Louis World's Fair

Stereograph shows the Varied Industries Building for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition under construction.

Pres. Roosevelt at the dedication ceremonies, St. Louis Exposition /

At the speaker's platform, President Theodore Roosevelt prepares to enter a carriage.

St. Louis's object lesson to anti-expansionists / Keppler.

Illustration shows a statue of Thomas Jefferson labeled "Thomas Jefferson The Father of Expansion" at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in Saint Louis, Missouri, with Puck directing the attention of George F. H... more

Vice Commissioner General Wong Kai Kah receiving site of Chinese Imperial Pavilion from President Francis

Photograph shows Wong Kai Kah atop a platform on the site of the future Chinese Imperial Pavilion for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, or St. Louis World's Fair, with David R. Francis, president of the exposi... more

Navajos

Group of Pueblo Indians, three men in front holding snakes, two Caucasian men in center.

DeWitt Clinton railway train

Photograph shows a DeWitt Clinton train on display.

Pharus-map World's Fair St. Louis, 1904.

Columbia

Photograph shows portrait of Inuit girl, Nancy Columbia, and dog taken at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, Missouri, 1904.

Chinese girls

Photograph shows portrait of Chinese girls taken at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, Missouri.

Liberal Arts Palace

Postcard shows an ornate building at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in Saint Louis.

"Esquimau woman"

Photograph shows portrait of an Inuit woman taken at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, Missouri, 1904.

[Opening day crowd around large column at Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo., 1904]

Cowboys "Shooting up the Town," statue on St. Louis Plaza, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo., U. S. A.

Floral clock and north end of Palace of Agriculture, from Ceylon Building, St. Louis World's Fair.

An enchanted city, The St. Louis Exposition at night

Looking down through the ferris wheel at the World's Fair, St. Louis, Mo., 1904

Festival Hall and the Cascades from the East Court, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo., U. S. A.

Wierd beauty of electric lights on Liberal Arts Building, reflected in the lagoon, World's Fair, St. Louis, U.S.A.

Eskimo boy and his faithful dog, in an igloo (representing a snow-house)--World's Fair, St. Louis, U.S.A.

Grand entrance to Education and Social Economy Building, Louisaina Purchase Exposition

Machinery Palace filled with the wonders of modern invention (view S. E. ), World's Fair, St. Louis, U. S. A.

Palace of Electricity at night, looking from lower west cascade, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, U. S. A.

Filipino village, Agricultural Building in distance, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo., U.S.A.

Japan in America - pretty maids in garden before a Japanese tea-house, World's Fair, St. Louis, U.S.A.

The Grand Basin from Art Hill, Louisaina Purchase Exposition, St. Louis., Mo.

Where the fountains dance and play at the head of the Grand Basin, World's Fair, St. Louis, U. S. A.

In the Rainbow Gardens, World's Fair grounds, St. Louis, Mo.

Allegorical group, "The Apotheosis of St. Louis" and equestrian statue of St. Louis, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, U. S. A.

Education and Social Economy buildings from Festival Hall, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904.

The Visayan village from Arrowhead Lake, Louisiana Purchase Exposition

"Spring" and "Bacchante," Italian statuary, Manufactures Building, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo., U. S. A.

Boers working a field gun, Boer War, World's Fair, St. Louis, U.S.A.

Evening effect of electric lights on Manufacturers Bldg., reflected in lagoon - World's Fair, St. Louis, U.S.A.

Imperial Japanese gardens and Exposition from half way up the ferris wheel, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo., U. S. A.

Iowa, terrace of 14 states comprising original Louisiana Purchase World's Fair, St. Louis, 1904

West pavilion and floral garden, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo., U. S. A.

Mines and Metallurgy and the Liberal Arts Building from east cascade terrace showing eastern lagoon and Wireless Telegraph Tower, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904.

Hunter's cabin in Esquimaux village, World's Fair, St. Louis, Mo.

Five Eskimos in doorway of cabin, with four dogs outside.

Arrival of the President and Mrs. Roosevelt for luncheon at West Pavilion, World's Fair, St. Louis, U. S. A.

After the battle victorious British awaiting arrival of Boer prisoners, Paardeburg, Boer War, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo., U.S.A.

Feathery fountains above the basin, Electricity and Varied Industries Bldg., World's Fair, St. Louis

Panoramic view, World's Fair, St. Louis, U. S. A.

Its gushing fountains beauteous to the eye, make all the place seem a fairyland, World's Fair, St. Louis, Mo.

U. S. Government Building, from Education Building over Sunken Gardens, World's Fair, St. Louis, U. S. A.

Festival Hall, beautiful and imposing, the pivot of the great Exposition, St. Louis, U. S. A.

The boat landing near Palace of Manufactures, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo.

The great entrance to the Palace of Manufactures, World's Fair, St. Louis, U. S. A.

Festival Hall with Statue of Napoleon in foreground, World's Fair, St. Louis, 1904

View of Grand Basin and Palace of Varied Industries, lighted by thousands of electric lights, St. Louis Fair

Palace of Electricity, night.

After the Battle of Colenso, Boer War exhibit, Louisiana Purchase Exposition

Domestic arts of the Bagobos women, in the Philippine Village, St. Louis World's Fair

Over gushing fountains to Palace of Electricity from Festival Hall, World's Fair, St. Louis, Mo.

Gondolas, Flower Parade, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo., U.S.A.

East lagoon and Palaces of Education and Manufactures, north from the German Building, Louisiana Puchase Exposition, St. Louis, U. S. A.

An architectural dream, past Palaces of Mines (on right) and Liberal Arts (on left) to U. S. Government Building, World's Fair, St. Louis,

"New Jerusalem", Cascade Hill, and central group of Exposition Bldgs. from the ferris wheel, World's Fair, St. Louis, 1904

Transportation Building by night, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, U. S. A.

"Destiny of the Red Man" statue in Sunken Gardens, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo., U. S. A.

From Colonnade east over fountains and statues to Mines and Metallurgy Bldg., World's Fair, St. Louis, U. S. A.

Prize winning automobile float at Louisiana Purchase Monument, Liberal Arts Parade, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo., U.S.A.

Where the fountains dance and play at the head of the Grand Basin, World's Fair, St. Louis, U. S. A.

Administration Avenue E. from Administration Bldg., thronged with visitors, World's Fair, St. Louis, U. S. A.

Festival Hall and cascades from Electricity Building, Louisiana Purchase Exposition

Illumination of cascades and Festival Hall at night. World's Fair, St. Louis

Countless thousands on St. Louis Plaza, St. Louis Day, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo., U. S. A.

Sunken Gardens surrounded by the great palaces of the World's Fair, St. Louis, Mo.

Graceful gondolas on the Grand Basin below Festival Hall, World's Fair, St. Louis, U. S. A.

A section of the World's Fair grounds as seen from the ferris wheel, St. Louis, Mo. 1904

Kansas City's crack team of Midland Camp carrying state banner, M. W. A. parade, World's Fair, St. Louis, Mo.

Machinery building at night, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, U. S. A.

Artillery in action, Battle of Modder River, Boer War exhibit, Louisiana Purchase Exposition

New York to the North Pole and Transportation Buildings, Louisiana Purchase Exposition

A vista of the World's Fair, St. Louis, Mo.

Plaza St. Louis N. E. from the center of Grand Basin, World's Fair, St. Louis, 1904.

Government Building from Daniel Boone Bridge over south lagoon, Liberal Arts Building on left, Mines on right, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, U. S. A.

Tired World's Fair visitors resting at the Sunken Gardens, World's Fair Grounds, St. Louis, Mo.

Louisiana Monument and Palace of Varied Industries, World's Fair, St. Louis, Mo.

Esquimaux fighting polar bear in the Arctic regions exhibit at World's Fair, St. Louis, Mo.

On St. Louis Plaza, World's Fair grounds, St. Louis, Mo.

Palace of Varied Industries, considered one of the most striking examples of exposition buildings, World's Fair, St. Louis, 1904

World's Fair officials in parade on St. Louis Day, World's Fair, St. Louis, Mo.

The slope of Art Hill, Festival Hall and w. pavillion at left, Machinery Bldg., at right, World's Fair, St. Louis., U. S. A.

Looking south across the beautiful cascades, Festival Hall at right, St. Louis Purchase Exposition, 1904

Manufactures and Education Bldgs., from Wireless Tel. Tower S. to Festival Hall, World's Fair, St. Louis, U. S. A.

Celebrating a century's advance, boat parade passing Electricity Bldg., World's Fair, St. Louis, U.S.A.

Transportation and Machinery Buildings and from New York to North Pole exhibit, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904

Entrance to Agriculture Building, from Ceylon Building, St. Louis, Exposition.

Electrical Building at night, World's Fair, St. Louis, 1904.

The magnificent grand stairway of Cascade Gardens, showing German Bldg. in distance, St. Louis Fair

Palace of Transportation, covering 16 acres the 2nd largest of exposition buildings, World's Fair, St. Louis, 1904

From West Pavilion, N. over lagoon between Electricity (R.) and Machinery Bldgs., World's Fair, St. Louis

Grand approach to Festival Hall, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904

In the gardens, La. Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, Mo.

The exposition's charming feature, the Central Cascade surrounded by Festival Hall from cascade base, World's Fair, St. Louis, 1904

Grand Basin and Plaza St. Louis from Terrace of the States, Louisiana Purchase Exposition

Palace of Electricity illuminated, World's Fair, St. Louis, Mo.

Palace of Varied Industries and Gondola Landing on the Sunken Gardens, St. Louis World's Fair.

Grand Basin, Festival Hall and Terrace of States from Education Building, Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, U. S. A.