Not much is left of the massive buildings built for the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. Despite a rocky start, the event became one of the most successful world’s fairs ever held. This photograph showcases the fair’s northwest lagoon (left), the Illinois State Building with its massive 235-foot-tall dome (right of center), and the Fisheries Building (far right) housing both saltwater and freshwater aquariums and displays. Image: Public Domain

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On May 1, 1893, Chicago was abuzz. Two hundred thousand people jostled for a glimpse of the brand new city within the city, the so-called “White City.” Dignitaries, civic leaders, and politicians had all traveled far and wide to attend the day’s spectacle.…