A couple weeks ago Denis Miller expressed an interest in revisiting the grounds of the old White City of the Chicago Worlds Fair, also known as the Columbian Exposition. Since I live within a few miles of the area I decided that I’d check it out and report back to Dennis on what I’d seen. Over my lifetime I’d been through parts of the grounds many times. I’d even read Erik Larson’s book, “Devil in the White City”, but I was not prepared for the surprise of the vastness of the acreage that the grounds had covered. Some reports give it as 686 acres. I went there last Sunday at 10 a.m. for what I thought would be a quick drive through of the area. I expected to be back home in time for the Bears kickoff at noon. As it turned out I missed half the game and had not seen a tenth of the old grounds.

I began my excursion at the point that millions had in 1893, the west entrance that led into the Midway Plaisance. The grounds of the midway are still there, a long clear stretch of sunken parkway that the fair planners had carved 4 or 5 feet deep with the intention of creating a canal running directly into Lake Michigan about 1¼ mile from the gate. They never did fill it with water, however. Instead they rented the space to anyone who could present a plan and financing for entertainment and amusement exhibits. Every American fair since 1893 that has an amusement section regards it as their “midway”.

At the east end of the midway stood the most memorable attraction of the fair, the Ferris Wheel. Oh, there have been other ferris wheels since the fair but there has never been another Ferris Wheel. It stood 26 stories high; more then 260 feet. Sure, there have been wheels since then that have stood three times as high. But what made Ferris’ wheel unique were its gondolas. There were 36 of them. Each was 26’ x 13’ x 10’ and had seating for up to 60 passengers - and a small snack bar to appease hunger on the long, slow trip.

I could go on about the hoochie coochie dancers and the magnificent attractions and buildings that existed in 1893 but almost all of that is gone now. Dennis wants to know about what he can see there now. And it is because of what is there now that this article is posted under “Politics”.

The Midway Plaisance is a no-man’s-land today. On its north side stands the world renowned University of Chicago. Building began on it even as the fair was being dismantled. It is a marvelous and beautiful place so strict in its academic qualifications that even I was turned away when I applied for entrance. They wouldn’t even allow me in their library. But I have walked the campus and been to the wonderful museum of The Oriental Institute where I was able to see an actual molten god that was worshipped by the Canaanites or perhaps even an ancient Israelite.

By contrast the south side of the Plaisance is a strange mish mash of abandoned building projects and unkempt homes. It would make no sense to the average tourist to see the fabulous wealth on one side of the road and the poverty and dreadful pall that permeates the south side. But to a native southsider it is understood that Chicago’s south(east)side proper begins on this side of the midway. The south side of the Plaisance demarks the neighborhood called Woodlawn. The north side of the Plaisance demarks the border of Hyde Park. The would-be canal is the trench that separates two forces in a class war. And a long and bloody war it has been, too. I’ll tell you what I know about it in a post next week – and how Mr Obama of Hyde Park figures in the drama.