Includes bibliographical references and index.

In 1893, the 27.5 million visitors to the Chicago World's Fair feasted their eyes on the impressive architecture of the White City, lit at night by thousands of electric lights. In addition to marveling at the revolutionary exhibits, visitors discovered something else: beyond the fair lay a modern metropolis that rivaled the world's greatest cities. The Columbian Exposition marked Chicago's arrival on the world stage, but even without the splendor of the fair, 1893 would still have been Chicago's greatest year. An almost endless list of achievements took place in Chicago in 1893. Chicago's most important skyscraper was completed in 1893, and Frank Lloyd Wright opened his office in the same year. The Field Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Museum of Science and Industry all started in 1893. "Cities are not buildings; cities are people," writes author Joseph Gustaitis. He brings forgotten pioneers back to the forefront of Chicago's history, connecting these important people of 1893 with their effects on the city and its institutions today.

SACFinal081324