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The Liberty Bell was sent from Philadelphia, on a specially designed flatcar. Some Philadelphians were concerned that the citizens of New Orleans might sieze the bell and melt it down, to create a statue of Jefferson Davis. Despite concerns, the Liberty Bell was displayed in the Main Building, with three uniformed guards to protect it. Machinery exhibits occupied the remainder of the space in the Main Building, where 32 types of engines on display supplied power to the exposition. The Edison Electric Company assembled the world's largest incandescent lighting plant, to provide illumination for the fair.
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Liberty Bell and guards - Main Building
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Visitors entering the Government & States Building found exhibits from 45 States and Territories spread out before them. The United States Government exhibits, occupying one third of the floor space, consisted of displays from several departments. The Navy Department showed items used in the recent Greeley Relief Expedition to the Arctic. The Medical Branch of the U.S. Army had a somewhat grisly display of preserved organs and body parts, collected from Civil War battlefields. The State Department constructed a walk-in globe, decorated with the handiwork of all nations. The National Museum displayed historical objects, and the Land Department showed the progress of recent railway construction.
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Greeley Relief Expedition exhibit
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From the upstairs galleries, the view of the State & Territorial exhibits was impressive. A variety of pavilions, obelisks, and other bizarre architecture filled the eye. Every display sought to catch the attention of the visitor. California was one of many States with a comprehensive exhibit, displaying the wealth of "The Golden State".
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Government & States Building, from gallery
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California State exhibits
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Louisiana's large display consisted of examples of its rice, silk, moss, and sugar cane industry. A simulated swamp scene was created with cypress and palmettos, hung with Spanish moss. Wildlife was shown, in various still-life vignettes, including a 15-foot stuffed alligator from Bayou LaFourche. Among the State & Territorial exhibits were displays of Vermont's marble industry, Massachussetts' fisheries, Alabama's minerals, Dakota Territory's corn, Mississippi's cotton, and Connecticut's manufacturing industry. Kansas displayed a statue of Ceres, made of grains; while Nebraska created a representation, in wheat, of the soon to be erected "Statue of Liberty".
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Alligator in Louisiana bayou exhibit
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The Educational Department exhibits represented several Nations. France was praised as having the best displays, illustrating the educational system of the country. Advancements made in elementary, art, law, hygiene, and trade school education were among the many exhibits shown by the French Republic.
The Woman's Department, headed by Julia Ward Howe, author of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic", was a large installment. However, the various exhibits showed little in the advancement of women in the workplace. The National Woman's Christian Temperance Union had a prominent display. The Colored People's Department illustrated the progress made by African-Americans in the arts and sciences. Unfortunately, it did not represent any advancements made towards racial equality.
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National Woman's Christian Temperance Union
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Horticultural Hall became one of the most visited buildings at the exposition. Constructed entirely of glass and wood, it was the world's largest structure of its type. A 90-foot tower stood at the center of the building, with a large fountain spraying beneath. Among the many displays of flowers, shrubs, palms, fruits, and vegetables, Mexico displayed a large exhibit of many varieties of cactus. The water hyacinth made its first major public debut in the Venezuela exhibit.
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Palms - Horticultural Hall
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Florida fruit exhibit
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The last of the major exhibit buildings was Art Hall, which opened on February 15th, 1885. Belgium and Mexico were praised for their showings of contemporary art, and almost every American painter was represented. Critics stated that the art displays far surpassed those of the 1876 U.S. Centennial Exposition, at Philadelphia. Outside, an avenue of live oaks, remaining from the former Foucher Plantation, led from Horticultural Hall to Art Hall. Milling machinery was displayed in the Factories & Mills building. Mexico constructed one large building to house their staff and the Mexican Band, and another octagon-shaped structure to display minerals. Grand Rapids furniture industries erected a large exhibit structure, next to the Wagon Building. Livestock was displayed in eight buildings, adjacent to the fair's half-mile long racetrack.
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Avenue of live oaks
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The exposition closed on June 1st, 1885. A total of 1,158,840 visitors were counted as having entered the grounds, far below the estimated 4 million that had been projected by management. When the final receipts were tallied, the exposition was found to be $470,000 in debt. The public believed that the exposition could have been successful, had it remained open longer. Another corporation was formed, purchased the buildings, and re-opened the fair as the North, Central and South American Exposition, on November 10th, 1885. However, this exposition also proved to be a financial failure, and disbanded on May 17th, 1886. All the buildings, except Horticultural Hall, were dismantled, and the site was developed as Audubon Park in the 1890's. Horticultural Hall, with its tower remodeled, remained until destroyed by a hurricane in September of 1915. The Audubon Zoo now occupies acreage where the structure once stood. The avenue of live oaks still remain, spanning Magazine Street, leading from the Zoo to the Newman Bandstand. The only other remaining object, on-site, is a large iron-ore boulder, once part of the Alabama exhibit. It sits, unmarked and forgotten, on the 18-hole golf course, in the middle of Audubon Park.
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This website created by Kenneth R. Speth, February 2000
(All images used are from my private collection of stereoviews)
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