Grand Equestrian Fair at Chicago- Ili..

A 19th-century perspective of the Grand Equestrian Fair at Chicago, Illinois, captured as a wood engraving and hand-colored to highlight the details. Published in The New-York Illustrated News on November 14th, 1863.

The Northwestern Soldiers' Fair, the largest Sanitary Fair of the Civil War, took place in Chicago from October 27 to November 7, 1863. It successfully raised nearly $100,000 to support the war effort. The event began with a six-mile-long parade featuring militiamen, bands, political leaders, local organizations, and farmers with carts full of crops. A highlight of the fair was the "Curiosity Shop," which displayed war souvenirs, slavery artifacts, and other items to show the contrast between the South and the North. The fair also included large exhibitions of art, mechanical technology, and period rooms, all designed to evoke a shared American history and inspire communities to contribute to the war effort by showcasing their donations. This print is likely from that event, capturing the spirit and activities of the Northwestern Soldiers' Fair.