1902

1902

Previous Day	1901
Next Day	1903

Below is a list of events that happened during 1902.

Early 1902

• Press Building built.

January

• January, 1902:
  • Lease of 9 Washington University campus buildings begins & Fair officials & personnel move in, the lease to be ended on January 1 following the Fair s closing.

• January 4, 1902:
  • $200,000 set apart for air-ship contests.
  • Contract let for sewer work. [probably River des Peres underground channel] (see January 6, 1902)

• January 6, 1902:
  • The first contract awarded by the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company was signed, authorizing the excavation and framing of the River Des Peres underground channel and creating separate sewage and storm water piping, connecting with 104 different palace and exhibit building outlets in addition to street and drain field pipes. (see December 28, 1901)

• January 7, 1902:
  • Work began on the River Des Peres underground channel. (see January 8, 1902)

• January 8, 1902:
  • Work began on the River Des Peres underground channel. (see January 7, 1902)

• January 11, 1902:
  • Miss Helen Miller Gould, of the Board of Lady Managers, arrived in St. Louis in the afternoon and remained until the following Tuesday. President and Mrs. Francis tendered her a reception at their residence from 8 to 10 pm. Invitations were sent to company directors & their wives, also to the members of the National Commission, and all the members of the Board of Lady Managers. As the reception was official, invitations were confined to those mentioned.
  • Col. John A. Ockerson made Chief of Liberal Arts.

January 12, 1902:

• • F. W. Taylor, [made] Chief of Agriculture.

• January 14, 1902:
  • Dr. L. H. Laidley made Medical Director.

• January 16, 1902
  • Contract let for electric plant.

February

• February 3, 1902:
  • Contract let for Varied Industries building.

• February 13, 1902:
  • Col. E. A. Godwin took command of Jefferson Guards. (see February 26, 1902)

• February 18, 1899:
  • Contract let for Textile building.

• February 26, 1902:
  • Lieutenant-Colonel E.A. Godwin, 9th Cavalry, United States Army, was detailed as Jefferson Guard commandant and reported for duty. The entire staff of the Jefferson Guard commandant was made up of officers detailed from the regular army. (see February 13, 1902)

March

• March 4, 1902:
  • Second election of directors.

• March 8, 1902:
  • Contract let for Electricity building.

• March 10, 1902:
  • Fifty thousand dollars appropriated by Minnesota.

• March 11, 1902:
  • France asked for 40,000 square meters floor space.

• March 12, 1902:
  • Exposition officers re-elected.

• March 14, 1902:
  • City Council authorized issue of city bonds.

• March 20, 1902:
  • New York appropriated $100,000.
  • Peru officially accepted invitation.

• March 29, 1902:
• French Congress appropriated $120,000 for exhibits.

• March 31, 1902:
• C. F. Wennerstrum, [made] Commissioner to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.

April

• An iron fence was put in place around the Fairgrounds.

• April 1, 1902:
• Directors ratified condemnation proceedings.
• Call for payment of all stock subscriptions.

• April 3, 1902:
• Site selected for Wisconsin State Building.

• April 4, 1902:
• Burns' Cottage Association organized.
• Irish Committee appointed to raise $500,000.
• Found impossible to obtain structural steel in time to complete buildings for 1903.

• April 5, 1902:
• Canada officially accepted invitation.

• April 8, 1902:
• Contract let for Machinery building.
• Governor of Alabama appointed commissioners.
• Iowa appropriates $150,000.

• April 10, 1902:
• [Aeronaut] Santos Dumont arrived in New York.
• Sir Hiram Maxim offered $250,000 for successful flying machine.

• April 15, 1902:
• M. Michael La Grave appointed by France to have charge of French interests.

• April 16, 1902:
• Ordinance passed permitting Woman's building in Fair site.
• Arrangements made for Philippine exhibit.

• April 19, 1902:
• Arrival in St. Louis of Santos Dumont and M. [Madamme?] Aime.

• April 21, 1902:
• Conference on air ship contests.

• April 22, 1902:
• Rules adopted for air ship contests.

• April 24, 1902:
• Louisiana Purchase Day at Charleston Exposition. [South Carolina Inter-State and West Indian Exposition in Charleston , SC]

• April 26-29, 1902:
• Laclede Building, Southwest corner of Fourth and Olive Streets] to Washington University buildings near site.

• April 30, 1902:
• Executive Committee agreed to postpone Fair.

May

• LPE Board postpones Opening Day by one year. This allows sufficient time for European countries to plan participation and build impressive exhibits & buildings. (see May 1, 1902)

• May 1, 1902:
• Delay of Fair opening until April 30, 1904 became official - postponement formally approved by directors. (see May, 1902) &

• May 3, 1902:
• earliest photo of Palace of Varied Industries beginning construction, includes latticed cores erected for columns of building's colonnade.

• May 8, 1902:
• Exposition flag provisionally adopted.

• May 12, 1902:
• Director Isaac Schwab died.

• May 13, 1902:
• Air ship contest to include trip to Washington and back.

• May 16, 1902:
• $2,000 offered for World's Fair emblem.

• May 19, 1902:
• Excavation begun for Cascades.

• May 26, 1902:
• Sunday closing agitation begun.

• May 29, 1902:
• Contract awarded for Liberal Arts building.

• May 30, 1902:
• 1st flag(s) flies over Admin Bldg (therefore, flagpole[s] just mounted).
• The River Des Peres underground channel was completed at a cost of $125,000.

• May 31, 1902:
• Stars and Stripes and Exposition's provisional flag ceremoniously unfurled.

June

• The LPEC offices were transferred to the Administration building on the exposition grounds.

• June 1, 1902:
• The Jefferson Guard, a component of the United States Army, began providing police services for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition until they were disbanded on January 31, 1905.

• June 2, 1902:
• Condemnation suits against Catlin tract.

• June 4, 1902:
• Michel La Grave, general commissioner of the French government to the LPE, visited site.

• June 5, 1902:
• Site selected for French building.

• June 6, 1902:
• President Loubet of France invited to the Fair.

• June 11, 1902:
• First piece of staff adjusted on Palace of Varied Industries building.

• June 18, 1902:
• Wm. Hutchinson, Canada's Commissioner, at site.

July

• July 1, 1902:
• Formal proclamation by President Roosevelt of postponement to 1904 (not 1903).
• Contract for Art palace let; cost $945,127.
• Decision to hold National Saengerfest in St. Louis in June, 1903.

• July 7, 1902:
• First monster trusses placed on the grounds - Educational building.

• July 9, 1902:
• Kansas commissioners visit the grounds.

• July 16, 1902:
• Contracts made for macadam roadways, and for lagoon excavation.

• July 17, 1902:
• Korea's official acceptance by cable.

• July 19, 1902:
• First big truss of Varied Industries building placed.

• July 28, 1902:
• China's official acceptance by cable.
• Tesson tract leased, completing site.

August

• August 2, 1902:
• Contracts for electric conduits awarded.

• August 4, 1902:
• Contract awarded for Liberal Arts building.

• August 5, 1902:
• Special Commissioner Walter Williams banqueted on return from Europe and Asia.

• August 7, 1902:
• Pre-Exposition restaurant concessions granted.

• August 12, 1902:
• Grading of lagoons and avenues begun.
• Norris B. Gregg as Concessions Director, and Geo. D. Markham, Chief of Music Bureau, confirmed.

• August 13, 1902:
• Tennessee editors visit the grounds.

• August 20, 1902:
• First child born on World's Fair site. [Louisiana O'Leary]

• August 23, 1902:
• Contracts awarded for grading for Agricultural and Horticultural buildings.

• August 30, 1902:
• Corner stone of Hall of Congresses laid.

September

• September 3, 1902:
• Kansas commissioners visit grounds.

• September 6, 1902:
• World's Fair site baby christened Louisiana O'Leary.

• September 12, 1902:
• Mr. Ho-Yo, Chinese Consul General at New York entertained on the grounds.

• September 17, 1902:
• Leveling of two Wilderness hills completed.

• September 22, 1902:
• Contract let for Mines and Metallurgy building. Cost $498,000.

• September 23, 1902:
• F. W. Ruckstuhl appointed Chief of Sculpture.

• September 26, 1902:
• Robert Aull [park commissioner] appointed Chief of Horse section of Live Stock exhibit.

• September 27, 1902:
• China promises by cable unprecedented exhibit.

Octoboer

• October 1, 1902:
• Meeting of National Commissioners.
• Sites allotted to twelve states, Philippines, Fraternity building, T.P.A. and Burns' cottage.
• Mrs. J. L. Blair elected president Board of Lady Managers; vacancies filled; new members added.

• October 2, 1902:
• Sites selected by West Virginia, New Hampshire, Montana, Utah and Porto Rico.

• October 4, 1902:
• Cornerstone [of Wash-U's] New Dormitory building laid.

• October 6, 1902:
• A. R. Nuncio, Mexican Commissioner General, secured space for Mexico.

• October 9, 1902:
• Offices of National Commission moved to Administration building.

• October 11, 1902:
• Contracts awarded for Manufactures building.

• October 18, 1902:
• Contract let for cascades and gardens.

• October 23, 1902:
• Association of Illinois Baptists visit grounds.

• October 25, 1902:
• Mrs. James L. Blair, President of Board of Lady Managers, raised flag during dedication of Press Building.
• Cornerstone [of Wash-U's] Physical Culture building laid.

• October 26, 1902:
• Visit of Chicago Press Club.
• Press building dedicated.

• October 30, 1902:
• Commission appointed by Bolivia.

• October 31, 1902:
• Formal acceptance by Germany.

November

• November 3, 1902:
• Prof. E. R. Kroeger appointed director of programme and awards, Bureau of Music.

• November 6, 1902:
• Dr. Theodore Lewald named Imperial Commissioner for Germany.

• November 8, 1902:
• Visit of Crown Prince of Siam and suite.

• November 11, 1902:
• Miss Florence Hayward sent on special commission to foreign countries.
• Sale of 50,000 souvenir gold dollars authorized.

• November 12, 1902:
• National Federation of Women's Clubs voted to meet in St. Louis in 1904.

• November 14, 1902:
• Contract awarded for United States Government building.

• November 17, 1902:
• Meeting of Board of Lady Managers in New York.

• November 19, 1902:
• German Imperial Commissioner's official visit.

• November 27, 1902:
• Adolphus Busch, chairman Foreign Affairs Committee, banqueted German Imperial Commissioner.

December

• December, 1902:
• The first exhibit arrived upon the exposition grounds. This was a large marine type boiler from Germany sent by the Duesseldorf-Ratinger Company of Duesseldorf which was immediately installed as a part of the pre exposition power plant.

• December 5, 1902:
• Reservation of 120 acres set apart for concessions department.

• December 6, 1902:
• Site for German building located.
• Announcement that President Roosevelt would attend dedication.

• December 9, 1902:
• Howard J. Rogers appointed Director of International Congresses.
• Capt. Perry Bartholow appointed local treasurer at Administration building.
• F. D. Hirschberg and W. W. Green elected directors.

• December 12, 1902:
• Commissioner Barrett declined Japanese mission.

• December 16, 1902:
• Contract awarded for Transportation building.

• December 20, 1902:
• Flag Day - Administration building decorated with flags of all nations.
• Contract awarded for restaurant pavilion.
• F. D. Hirschberg made Chairman Committee on Entertainment and Reception.

• December 22, 1902:
• First consignment of souvenir dollars received.

• December 23, 1902:
• Committee appointed to arrange for International Medical Congress.

• December 24, 1902:
• Emperor of Morocco promised great exhibit.
• Mr. Kee-Owyang selected site for Chinese building.

• December 26, 1902:
• F. W. Ruckstuhl resigned as Chief of Sculpture. Carl T. F. Bitter named as successor.
• Banquet of Chicago Commercial Club attended by Exposition officers.

• December 31, 1902:
• Missouri State Teachers' Association at the site.