Final Report of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission

by Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission

One of the most noteworthy features of the Illinois State Home was its verandas. From these every part of the exposition grounds could be seen, and the night view was especially glorious. The building was designed by Illinois architects, erected by Illinois labor, and furnished, for the most part, by Illinois firms. Hence it was really an expression of the State it represented. Its cost was $90,000.

Aside from the State House, the most remarkable exhibits of the State were those in the Palace of Mines and Metallurgy and the Palace of Agriculture. In the former there was abundant evidence that Illinois is primarily a mining State, while the latter wholly contradicted this notion. As a matter of fact, Illinois ranks second to Pennsylvania in the production of coal, and its quarries yield a fine quality of both sand and lime stone. The booth in the Palace of Mines contained the largest block of soft coal ever removed from a mine. It was 6 by 7 by 8 feet in size and was hoisted 335 feet from the shaft. In the coal exhibit there were specimens of the product of over 50 mines, with chemical analyses showing their respective heating elements.

There was a large display of the clay industry of the State, including bricks, tile, and pottery. In addition there were shown splendid specimens of fluorspar, lead, and zinc.

In the Palace of Horticulture there was an extensive table exhibit of fresh fruit, especially of apples and the more ephemeral fruits, such as berries and plums. However, the best display of all was in the Palace of Agriculture. In the cold-storage case in the dairy section were two exceptionally good pieces of butter sculpture. They were the busts of those two great Illinoisans—Lincoln and Grant.

The most striking feature of the great corn pavilion was an enormous broom, that was typical both of the production of broom corn and of the State's broom industry. In the corners were small ornamental booths made entirely of the native woods of the State. One of these was used as an office by the secretary. There were several excellent pictures made of various grains. Among the grain pictures were three that were worthy to stand together. They were President Lincoln, Governor Yates, and the great seal of the State.

By far the largest and most significant part of the exhibit was the collection of samples of corn planted, cultivated, and harvested by boys. The League of Corn Growers numbered 8,000 members, and there were 1,100 prizes each year, the first being $500. Each boy submitted 10 ears of corn from his own patch, together with an account of his experiences and method. The prize winners attached their photographs to the little pyramids of 10 ears of fine corn. For the farming industry of the State it was felt that nothing could possibly be better than this annual contest. The boy is taught to look upon the scientific cultivation of the soil as something worthy his best effort. That in which he takes a personal pride ceases to be drudgery. As a result of this corn contest much of the danger that all the farmer boys will seek the great cities may be averted, and it was felt that the great exposition should encourage the boys in their worthy enterprise.

There were installed by the Illinois commission 14 separate and distinct exhibits, including that of live stock. Each exhibit was in charge of a superintendent and a committee of the commission.

As soon as the Illinois commission had been appointed the members of the Illinois State Historical Society felt that the society should make an exhibit. As the appropriation of $2,000 was small and the time brief for the preparation of the exhibit, the trustee decided that no better and more appropriate exhibit could be made than a manuscript and pictorial life of Abraham Lincoln, these manuscripts and pictures to be arranged so plainly that they could be understood and appreciated by all.

The plan of the exhibit was to utilize all the space possible, and as this was the only exhibit in the Illinois Building it was made as handsome in appearance as possible. Accordingly 16 large wall frames handsomely labeled in gold letters were prepared. The labels read as follows:

(1) Ancestry of Lincoln. (2) Youth of Lincoln. (3) Lincoln at New Salem. (4) Lincoln as a Surveyor. (5) Lincoln in the Black Hawk War. (6) Lincoln as a Lawyer (two cases). (7) Lincoln in Congress. (8) Domestic Life of Lincoln. (9) Lincoln and Douglas. (10) Lincoln and Douglas Debates. (11) Lincoln and the Foundation of the Republican Party. (12) The Campaign of 1860. (13) Lincoln in Washington, The Cabinet. (14) The War of Rebellion. (15) Assassination and Death.