New Era Exposition Steel Car after Fire, 1889

Photograph

St. Joseph Museums

Name/Title

New Era Exposition Steel Car after Fire, 1889

Entry/Object ID

P1984.23.16

Description

New Era Exposition Steel Car after Fire, 1889 The New Era Exposition was located east of the city of St. Joseph beyond Wyatt Park. The land surrounded the Steel Car Company's plant. The Exposition included a main hall and shop housed in one of the Steel Car Company's buildings. On the grounds were twenty pavilions. "Korn is King" was the motto of the enterprise, and was carried into every decoration. The pavilions and buildings were decked with cereals in various colorings and design. The most admired of the pavilions were the "Ladies' Palace of Delights," the "Reporters' Lodge," "Pomona's Pavilion, " "Cupid's Bower," "Pocahontas," "Mondamin," and "Horticultural Hall." Included on the grounds were artificial lakes, waterfalls, and an old grist mill. There was also an amphitheater seating eleven thousand and an arena of two acres. H. D. Perkey took the leadership roll in the creation of the New Era Exposition. On April 4, 1889, the National Railway, Electric and Industrial Exposition Association was formed, with a capital stock of one million dollars. The incorporater were: G. J. Englehart, John S. Lemon, R. E. Turner, C. B. France, A. M. Saxton, John Donovan, Jr., R. L. McDonald, D. M. Steele, George W. Samuels, Louis Hax, Wm. E. Hosea, D. D. Burnes, J. R. W. Hartwig, S. C. Woodson, F. M. Posegate, T. F. Van Natta, S. A. Walker, A. M. Dougherty, W. B. Smith, Harry Keene, J. Francis Smith, R. T. Davis, and Winslow Judson. The directors were John S. Emery, Chas. A. Shoup, W. J. Hobson, Herschel Bartlett, Robert Winning, J. C. Bonnell and H. D. Perky. The exposition opened on September 3, 1889, and continued to October 3, 1889. On September 15, at around 9 p.m., the main building caught fire. The only contents saved were two pianos and a carriage in which General Lafayette had toured Virginia. The loss was $193,000. Insurance coverage was $50,000. Capt. John Foster, a guard, who had quarters in the building near where the fire broke out, was burned to death.

Made/Created

Artist

James S. Saurman

Studio

Saurman, J. S.

Date made

1889

Place

City

St. Joseph

State/Province

Missouri

Notes

Medium: Photographic Paper

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Print, Photographic

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Photograph

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Graphic Documents

Nomenclature Class

Documentary Objects

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

LOC Thesaurus for Graphic Materials

Entertainment, Expositions

Search Terms

Korn is King, Corn Exposition, St. Joseph History, Business, New Era Exposition

Dimensions

Dimension Notes

Printsize: 5 x 8 ½

Maintenance

Maintenance History

Date

Feb 21, 2012

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Perkey, H. D.

Person or Organization

G. J. Englehart

Person or Organization

John S. Lemon

Person or Organization

Turner, R. E.

Person or Organization

France, C. B.

Person or Organization

A. M. Saxton

Person or Organization

Donovan, John Jr.

Person or Organization

McDonald, R. L.

Person or Organization

D. M. Steele

Person or Organization

George W. Samuels

Person or Organization

Louis Hax

Person or Organization

Wm. E. Hosea

Person or Organization

D. D. Burnes

Person or Organization

Hartwig, H. R. W.

Person or Organization

Woodson, S. C.

Person or Organization

Posegate, F. M.

Person or Organization

T. F. Van Natta

Person or Organization

Walker, S. A.

Person or Organization

A. M. Dougherty

Person or Organization

W. B. Smith

Person or Organization

Harry Keene

Person or Organization

J. Francis Smith

Person or Organization

Davis, R. T.

Person or Organization

Winslow Judson

Person or Organization

John S. Emery

Person or Organization

Chas. A. Shoup

Person or Organization

Hobson, W. J.

Person or Organization

Herschel Bartlett

Person or Organization

Robert Winning

Person or Organization

J. C. Bonnel