An attempt to improve cities through beautification, it was hoped that the solution of social ills would inspire civic loyalty, and make city centers more inviting to the upper classes, in hopes that they would return to them for work and therefore spend money.
The City Beautiful Movement was a response to failing urban life. All of this was in sharp contrast to the grey, urban sprawl of Chicago in 1893.Ĭhicago – 1893 World Columbian Exposition – (Photo courtesy of Boston College) Dignified, monumental and well run, the White City boasted state-of-the-art sanitation and transportation systems. The beauty of the main court, the well-planned balance of buildings, water, and open green spaces was a wholly new concept to the visitors of the fair. In the Court of Honor all of the buildings had uniform heights, were decorated roughly in the same manner, and painted bright white. The shimmering “White City” was a model of early city planning and architectural cohesion. The Exposition took place in Chicago and was an exercise in light, order and forward thinking. The City Beautiful Movement began with the “White City,” also known as the 1893 World Columbian Exposition. San Francisco’s 1906 fire and earthquake not only destroyed much of San Francisco, it also destroyed the dream of many to bring the City Beautiful Movement to large sections of San Francisco.
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