Best Architectural Photos From World's Columbian Expo

Here now, in commemoration of the 120th Anniversary of the White City's opening, are two dozen archival photos of Jackson Park's fair grounds and the many striking — and short-lived — neoclassical structures. If it looks like Paris on the shore that's because the grandiosity was calibrated to eclipse Paris' prior World's Fair. The rampant ornament and bone-white paint job were lambasted by many forward thinking architects of the day, but held up by others for creating a model for inspirational public spaces in America's decrepit and overcrowded cities. The photos herein were gathered from the Brooklyn Museum's collection and the World's Columbian Expo's Wikipedia page. We zeroed in on the clearest image quality and best documentation of individual buildings. Enjoy!