#chicago century of progress

[stone-cold-groove]

Poster for A Century of Progress International Exposition (the Chicago World’s Fair) - 1933.

[sepiadays]

Souvenir parasol from the Chicago World's Fair, 1933-'34.

[hometownhistorychicago]

Fannie May Store at 11 N. LaSalle Street Chicago (1920)

In 1920, the Fannie May store at 11 N. LaSalle Street was a beloved destination for Chicagoans with a sweet tooth. Founded in 1920, Fannie May quickly became known for its high-quality chocolates and confections, becoming a staple in the city's culinary landscape. The store on LaSalle Street was located in the heart of Chicago's financial district, attracting both office workers and visitors with its decadent treats. The 1920s, known as the Roaring Twenties, were a time of economic prosperity and cultural flourishing, and Fannie May chocolates were a small but delightful part of that era's indulgence and joy.

[tomoleary]

Glen C. Sheffer (1881-1948) Original Vintage Poster For World's Fair Chicago “1833 A Century Of Progress 1933”

[digitalnewberry]

A Century of Progress

Century of Progress International Exposition ticket, 1934

91 years ago this week, the Century of Progress International Exposition formally opened in Chicago. The theme was technological innovation and it ran until November 1933, only to be so popular that it opened again from May-October 1934. Exhibits displayed technology of the future, recreations of the past, and artistic accomplishments of the present (unfortunately, the racism and exoticization of the present were also found in some exhibits).

Toy Town Tavern, 1933

The John I. Monroe collection of exposition postcards contains over 900 postcards from the Century of Progress International Exposition, including an admission ticket, paintings of exhibit buildings, and even some depictions of the Sinclair Dinosaur Exhibit.

Sinclair Dinosaur Exhibit, 1933

Explore all of the Century of Progress International Exposition postcards

[fitsofgloom]

July, Like The Fireworks,

He Touches The Sky

[2othcentury]

A Native American demonstrates archery at the Century of Progress International Exposition, the world's fair held in Chicago during the summers of 1933 and 1934. © Century of Progress Records

[thepopculturearchivist]

TIME, June 12, 1933

[squidinkarchives]

Souvenir Box from the Belgian Village, 1934

I almost overlooked this one until my partner pointed it out to me. This claims to be from the 1933 World's Fair - also known as the Century of Progress International Exposition . Apart from a dysentery outbreak and the the ongoing depression associated with the Great Depression, the Rainbow City they built was a cheerful future outlook in an otherwise bleak time.

[lisamarie-vee]

[stone-cold-groove]

A Century of Progress International Exposition opening day ticket. Chicago - 1933.

[ajl1963]

Deco Doings - April, 2024

Spring by William Welsh, 1930. Image from Pinterest. Here are some wonderful Art Deco events to enjoy this April. Bard Graduate Center Sonia Delauney: Living Art (In Person Exhibit)      February 23, 2024 – July 7, 2024, 18 West 86th Street, New York, NY      Center Hours: Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM; Thursday – Sunday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Box, 1913. Oil on wood. 20…

[hometownhistorychicago]

In the late 1930s, Frank Lloyd Wright designed what would be the largest prairie-style home of his career. "Wingspread" was the name chosen for the sprawling complex built near Lake Michigan for the president of the , who also hired Wright to design his company's headquarters. A young John Lautner supervised the construction of this stunning structure which has been beautifully maintained and now functions as a conference center.

Photo: The Johnson Foundation.The Modernist Collection

[tomoleary]

Alexander Raymond Katz "Sandor" (1895-1974) “Chicago World’s Fair - See, Hear, Play - A Century of Progress” (1934) Source

[iknityounot]

(Long post, sorry y'all)

A little more than two years ago now, my grandmother passed away. She and my grandpa had moved down to my home town a few years before so we could take care of them. I brought them groceries once a week, helped them write checks, fixed tvs, and found lost things. I was really close with my grandma.

In addition to her hilarious personality and dry wit, one of my favorite things about her was that she was a painter and a crafter like me! She used to crochet, and I took her to the craft store a couple of times so she could get more yarn and books on crochet. But her arthritis and the shaking in her hands kept getting worse, so she eventually had to stop.

She kept her most recent project, a granny square blanket, safely packed away in a plastic bin. She told all of us she was going to finish it one day.

Her hands never got better, and when she got sick, and we found out it was cancer, she rapidly deteriorated.

After she passed, I went to work helping my mom clean out my grandparents apartment so we could move my grandpa in with her. In our frantic cleaning, I found that bin again:

DOZENS of granny squares, dozens of half used skeins. I asked my mom what she wanted me to do with it, and she said she didn't care. I set it aside and later took it home.

Maybe a month later, that tumblr post about the Loose Ends Project was going around. It felt like a sign--I was never going to learn to crochet in order to finish my grandmother's blanket. But they might be able to help!

So I filled out the interest form. They got back to me SUPER quick. And maybe 2 weeks later, I was paired with volunteer in my state (only 2 hours away!) and the box of yarn, granny squares, and my grandmother's crochet hook were in the mail. That was at the end of January this year.

Over the next couple of months, my "finisher" emailed me regular updates on her progress, and asked me questions on my preferences for how she constructed the final blanket.

At the end of August, the blanket was done!

I had always intended the blanket to be a gift for my mother. So I cleaned it up, put it in the only bag I had big enough to fit it, and drove to my mom's. I gave the blanket to her and she was gobsmacked. I explained to her all about Loose Ends, and how someone volunteered to finish the piece for us. She was speechless. (I was quite pleased with this, because I am not the best at giving gifts, so this was a pretty exciting reaction!)

She said that it was the most thoughtful gift she had ever been given. She said "your grandma would love this". To which I replied, "yeah, I know she really wanted to finish it a couple of years ago". But that was when my mom dropped the bomb of a century on me--she told me that my grandma had started making those granny squares OVER 30 YEARS AGO. She had started the blanket when my grandpa was staying in the hospital, but that was back when my mom was younger than I am now! My grandma had packed them all away, planning on finishing it, when my grandpa was sent home from the hospital. Then it went from house to house, from condo in Chicago to their apartment in my hometown. All that time and my grandma had wanted to finish it, but couldn't. First because she was busy, then because she forgot how to do it, then because of her arthritis, and then because of the cancer. My mom said she had given up on expecting my grandma to finish it. 

She said I brought a piece of her childhood with her mom out of the past.

And really, all of this is to say, if you have seen or heard about the Loose Ends Project and have an uncompleted project or piece from a loved one who has passed away--these are your people. They were so kind and treated my project with such care. That box probably would have been found by my own grandkids one day if I hadn't heard about Loose Ends.

Five stars, absolutely worth it!

(From what I understand, you can sign up to volunteer too! If you have time to share, it might be worth checking out!)