1. "The 1893 Chicago World's Fair"
Posted by augusta on Mar-22nd-03 at 9:05 PM

This site is so cool.  Check it out:

http://fly.hiwaay.net/~shancock/fair/1893.html

Thanks, Augusta.  Love the photos page that gives you an idea of the scope of things, it was immense!  Lizzie must have had an incredible time whilst there. 

I don't believe Lizzie was there! Please tell me the source
of Lizzie going to the fair, I've never read that anywhere.
The fair started May 1, 1893, Lizzie got out of jail June 20,
1893, how long did this fair last and when did Lizzie go?

Lizzie was supposed to go in October of 1893.  But there are stories that said she went, by winning the trip in a contest.  And then there are stories that say she did not go.  There's a piece on it in Rebello that is hard to find.  I was going to post it earlier but got busy.  If I can find it again, I'll post it.  It's really interesting.

Oh, boy.  I found the stuff about Lizzie and the fair in Rebello.  Get a cup of coffee - just one, never two   - or Garfield tea and enjoy.

This comes from pages 186 - 188 from Len Rebello's "Lizzie Borden Past & Present":

"Lizzie Wins a Contest"
The Boston Journal sponsored a contest by sending coupons to the newspaper in various categories and prizes.  The top winners in the state would receive various vacations including one to the World's Fair in Chicago.

Lizzie first won a complete set of Thackeray's works in a contest sponsored by the Boston Journal.  She received 5,936 votes.  She came in second place for people who received the most votes.  (New Bedford Evening Journal, Monday, May 22, 1893:1.)

"Lizzie at the Fair"
"'Unbeknown' to Chicago:  Miss Lizzie Borden has been doing the World's Fair with Miss Caroline Borden, formerly of this city, and Miss Alice Buck as traveling companions."  Fall River Daily Globe, Tuesday, October 3, 1893: 8.
NOTE:  Miss Caroline Borden was probably related to Lizzie.  Miss Alice Buck was the daughter of Rev. Edwin Augustus Buck.

"Anticipating Miss Borden's Acquittal"
"Several women at Fall River and a few at New Bedford have figured out (to) their own entire satisfaction that the prisoner is to be acquitted and propose to celebrate the event.  They have decided that she shall go to the World's Fair, but at this point a prudent economy has had its weight in their deliberations.

"Accordingly they have decided that instead of raising a purse to cover her expenses she shall be sent at the cost of a newspaper, and so they long since began harvesting vacation coupons.  It is an actual fact that several thousand coupons are now awaiting with Lizzie Borden's name written upon them, and every day sees a big increase in the pile."  Fall River Weekly News, Wednesday, June 14, 1893: 1.

"The Vacation Contests/Lizzie Borden Entitled to Second Place/She Declines to Accept Award and Allows it to go to Another," Fall River Weekly News, July 19, 1893: 4.

"Mr. A. W. Puerbeck, a Salem, Massachusetts merchant, won the top prize in a contest sponsored by the Boston Journal and will go to the World's Fair.  He received 1,220,640 coupons.  Lizzie won the second prize.  She received 94,097 coupons.  However, she declined to accept the prize.

                      Vacation Department, Boston Journal

Gentlemen - By the advice of her counsel, Miss Borden has carefully refrained from writing to any newspaper upon any topic whatever.  She wishes me to say, however, that while she greatly appreciates the kindness and good-will of your many readers who have been placing their coupons to her credit, it will be impossible, under the circumstances, for her to accept the vacation prize as a result of the voting.

There are many reasons for this which you will understand without further explanation from me.  She would be pleased to have you deal with any prize to which she may be entitled to in any way which you think would be most satisfactory to the many kind friends or who have been voting for her, either by allowing it to go to the eleventh person on the list, or by giving it to somebody who will be deserving and worthy of a vacation, but unable to go on account of the expense.

Respectively yours,
Andrew J. Jennings
NOTE:  The Boston Journal did as Miss Borden requested and awarded the prize to Mr. Edson Jones Gould from Boston, Massachusetts.  His prize being a trip to Narragansett Pier.  He received 37,676 coupons.

(All "NOTES" are from the Rebello text.)

Hmm... So one article says she went in October with two chums.  She could have paid her own way.  The other says she won the trip but did not accept it.  Did she go, or didn't she??? 

Thanks Augusta, good reseach, but it doesn't  prove that
she went to the fair, I don't think she did. 

Thanks, Augusta.  Good reading.  Perhaps Lizzie won the trip, gave it away and decided to go after all with her own money, just a thought. 

http://www.lizzieandrewborden.com/Archive203/Lborden/LBchicago.htm

We had talked about this  last September.
We did know Uncle John had ties to Illinois.
I'll try looking in the Sourcebook & Casebook.

Here is a site that is selling a game where you are an investigator at the Chicago 1893 World's Fair.

http://illuminatedlantern.com/1893/