Where It All Goes Down
Chicago, 1890-95
This story is all about Chicago. So if you love the City of Broad Shoulders/City That Works/ Windy City/Second City, you're in for a story that's more satisfying than an Italian beef sandwich during a Midwestern ice storm.
We begin in 1890 with Chicago waiting on the edge of its seat to find out if it's going to be hosting the World's Fair of 1893. The city is filled with pride. At this point in history, its population is over one million, making it the second most populated American city after New York.
But unlike New York, Chicago isn't known for its arts and politics scene. Instead, it's known for its slaughterhouses and labor unions (ever read The Jungle?). Winning the bid means Chicago can shake off the perception that it's a "greedy, hog-slaughtering backwater" (1.2.2). And with guys like Burnham spearheading the campaign, Chicago is set to put on a bright and shiny face for the world.
And that's exactly what Chicago does during the fair and months leading up to its grand opening. Burnham's White City is a beautiful, mysterious place bringing all the marvels of the world together. It also offers people a vision of what a city "could be and ought to be" (3.4.1). In other words, the White City offers people a glimpse of Utopia. But just outside lies the Black City, and it's far from Utopia.
Holmes' hotel at the intersection of 63rd and Wallace is the scene of torture and death. And beyond even those walls are threats of labor union strikes, a toppling economy, and a dwindling supply of deep dish pizza. (We're sorry—we shouldn't joke about something as serious as a deep dish shortage.)
Anyway, the fair brings glamour and prestige to Chicago and proves to both the nation and the world that Chicago has the guts and gusto to pull off the greatest exhibition in history.