Century of Progress


A Century of Progress 1933-34

Children could slide down the side of Magic Mountain, watched over by attendants, while their parents visited other parts of the fair.

Children could slide down the side of
Magic Mountain, watched over by
attendants, while their parents visited
other parts of the fair.
(Photo by D. Warol Pease)

Of great popular appeal were the Midway, with rides and attractions, and the Enchanted Island, an area set aside for children. Youngsters could slide down Magic Mountain, view a fairy castle, or see a play staged by the Junior League of Chicago. The Belgian Village, which many exhibiting countries imitated during the second year of the fair, replicated a 16th century village, complete with homes, shops, church, and town hall. The golden Temple of Jehol was a wonder of 28,000 handcarved pieces shipped from China and assembled in Chicago. The Sky Ride, another landmark of A Century of Progress, transported visitors in enclosed cars 218 feet above the North Lagoon between two 628-foot steel towers.

The Belgian Village featured medieval houses, a church, a town hall, and even dog-drawn milk cars driven by milkmaids.

The Belgian Village featured medieval houses,
a church, a town hall, and even dog-drawn
milk cars driven by milkmaids.

Replica of Fort Dearborn, Chicago's first public building.

Replica of Fort Dearborn, Chicago's first public building.

Chicago-area history was depicted in re-creations of the cabin of Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, the first permanent settler in Chicago, and of Fort Dearborn, built, in 1803, where Michigan Avenue crosses the Chicago River in present-day downtown Chicago. (The Chicago Historical Society was a major contributor to this exhibit, and still maintains a miniature replica of the fort in the Fort Dearborn and Frontier Chicago exhibition.

The Midway was also a  place for people to play games and view some curious attractions, such as this exhibition of alligator wrestling.

The Midway was also a place for people to play games and
view some curious attractions, such as this exhibition of
alligator wrestling. (Photo by Charles R. Childs)





Al Capone
Black Sox
Century of Progress
COP Photo Gallery
COP Artifacts
COP Bibliography
Chicago Fire
World's Columbian Expo
Parades, Protests and Politics
The Pullman Era
The Stockyards
Fort Dearborn

Please click on the map for a closer look at the grounds.

Previous Next
Previous More

Photo Gallery Main Page Bibliography Main Page History Files Home Page Artifacts Main Page First Facts Main Page

Al Capone - Chicago Black Sox - A Century of Progress - Chicago Fire
The World's Columbian Exposition - Parades, Protests and Politics
The Pullman Era - The Stockyards
Fort Dearborn (Coming Soon!)

Back to the Chicago Historical Society Home Page
Copyright © 1999 by the Chicago Historical Society