What did visitors experience at the 1904 St. Louis Worlds Fair?
The St. Louis World’s Fair had been a dream of civic leaders in St. Louis since 1889. The fair’s planners traveled to Asia, Latin America, and North Africa seeking exhibitors to celebrate the centennial of the Louisiana Purchase. Construction of the fairgrounds in the city’s Forest Park required cutting down trees, draining a lake, rerouting a river, removing a hill, enlarging roads, and erecting walkways. In addition to cultural exhibits from around the world, the St. Louis World’s Fair boasted dazzling displays of technology and hosted the first Olympics Games in the Western Hemisphere. Visitors walking throughout the 1,200-acre site also enjoyed a tasty new treat-the ice cream cone. Fair planners intended to promote world peace by bringing together diverse peoples. Many countries constructed native village settings in the amusement area. During the seven months of the fair, between 15,000 and 20,000 people from other countries lived on the fairgrounds. “Mysterious Asia” featured dan
