Today marks the 110th anniversary of the opening of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, also known as the St. Louis World's Fair, in St. Louis, Missouri. The fair celebrated the centennial of the Louisiana Purchase. It was held from 30 April 1904 to 1 December 1904.
The Fair included exhibits from 43 of the then 45 states, the United States government, and a large number of foreign countries. Many companies had exhibits at the fair; a partial list can be found at http://atthefair.homestead.com/Misc/CompaniesAtTheFair.html. The 1904 Summer Olympics were held at the World's Fair from 29 August 1904 to 3 September 1904.
My great-grandfather John Boe attended the St. Louis World's Fair with his brother Hans Adolph "Duff" Boe and his mother Aaste (Halvorson) Boe. My great-grandmother Kathleen Graham was working at the fair. According to my mother's first cousin Marie, Kathleen said that she got paid for talking. Marie also said that this is where John and Kathleen met.
Kathleen's mother, Catherine Elizabeth (Winters) Graham Mapplebeck, also attended the St. Louis World's Fair.
Alton Evening Telegraph, 10 October 1904, p. 4
Ruby flash glass souvenirs from the 1904 World's Fair
References and additional information
Louisiana Purchase Exposition
Louisiana Purchase Exposition: The 1904 St. Louis World's Fair (University of Missouri Columbia - MU Libraries) - digital image collection
At the Fair
Celebrating St. Louis - The 1904 World's Fair
1904 World's Fair in Forest Park
The 1904 World's Fair: Looking Back at Looking Forward
1904 World's Fair Society
All the World's a Fair - 1904 World's Fair sites in St. Louis
I was hunting for photos of the 1904 Ferris Wheel for a post I'm going to write about my great grandmother. Thanks for finding photos we can use! And, I enjoyed reading about your family's time at the fair. Mine should be coming soon!
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