[Chicago’s Coming Factory Suburb – Columbian Exposition Promotion for Griffith, Indiana]

This brilliant piece of late 19th-century real estate marketing was published in 1892 to capture the nationwide excitement over the upcoming World’s Fair to be held in Chicago. Millions would ultimately attend from all over the world – a massive audience who would no doubt be impressed with Chicago’s spectacular growth and industrial potential. Land speculators Jay Dwiggins & Co., self-described ‘Founders and Promoters’ of Griffith, Indiana, hoped to promote the fledgling town as ‘The Coming Manufacturing Suburb of Chicago.’ One side of the sheet shows a beautiful (though largely speculative) overview of the ‘White City’ as it was planned. The central image offers a bird’s-eye view of the grounds in Jackson, looking west from Lake Michigan. Twelve scenes surrounding (all attributed to A. Zeese & Co.) offer glimpses of the magnificent individual structures, including the Art Palace that would be forever memorialized in the Museum of Science and Industry. The verso presents numerous panels of text describing the Columbian Exposition, “the greatest Fair, either National or International, that the world has ever known.” Tables of dollar figures from state and international participants highlight the global nature of the undertaking, as well as the high costs. Major exhibits are summarized with breathless, eager language. The boosterism extends to the city itself, with a comprehensive breakdown of the population of different nationalities, an explanation of the rail system, and lists of amenities. Three maps present a plan of the World’s Fair Grounds, a transportation overview of Chicago, and a promo showing the location of the town of Griffith. Jay and Elmer Dwiggins first laid out the town of Griffith in 1891, hoping to capitalize on the excellent rail connections and proximity to Chicago. Text advertises residential lots for sale for as low as $200, with payments starting at $5 monthly (with 5% deposit). Despite initial success, the Panic of 1893 and the resulting bank collapse forced the brothers to abandon the venture. The promo was copyrighted in 1892 by the La Salle Publishing Company of Chicago. Maps engraved by W.T. Hayne (Griffith) and Benedict & Co. (Fairgrounds). A rare ephemeral survivor, with no recorded listings in WorldCat or other online repositories. I am aware of one example in a private collection and a possible listing in the collections of the Indiana Historical Society. Sources: Town of Griffith, IN; Encyclopedia of Chicago History;